By Lwanga Musisi
Attorney General Sam Mayanja has urged Ugandans and justice sector stakeholders to confront barriers that prevent poor people, rural communities, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups from fully enjoying their rights.
Mayanja said the barriers include poverty, geographical distance, limited legal awareness, delays in the administration of justice, language barriers and, in some cases, the complexity of legal processes.
He made the remarks on Wednesday during the 9th Benedicto Kiwanuka Memorial Lecture 2026 held at the Judiciary Headquarters and High Court in Kampala under the theme, “Justice for All: Carrying Forward Benedicto Kiwanuka’s Vision.”
Mayanja said the memorial lecture raises fundamental questions about whether, decades after the sacrifice of Benedicto Kiwanuka, justice in Uganda is truly accessible to everyone.
He questioned whether poor and vulnerable Ugandans experience justice in the same way as the powerful, whether state institutions remain faithful to the Constitution and whether citizens are doing enough to protect the dignity and rights of every person.
The Attorney General hailed the late Benedicto Kiwanuka, Uganda’s first Black Chief Justice, for recognising that courts must remain guardians of legality and justice and that people entrusted with public authority must themselves remain subject to the law.
He called on all justice sector actors to address the barriers that continue to prevent many Ugandans from enjoying their rights.
Mayanja emphasised that no single institution can deliver justice for all, saying access to justice is a collective national responsibility.
He also urged citizens to recognise their responsibility to respect the rights of others and use the law as an instrument for peace rather than conflict.
Benedicto Kiwanuka was abducted from his chambers at the High Court in Kampala on September 21, 1972, during the regime of former President Idi Amin.
His abduction followed a court order directing the release of British businessman Daniel Stewart, who had been detained without trial.
