High Court of Uganda

The High Court of Uganda is the third court of record in order of hierarchy and has unlimited original jurisdiction, which means that it can try any case of any value or crime of any magnitude. Appeals from all Magistrates Courts go to the High Court. 

The High Court is headed by the Honorable Principal Judge who is responsible for the administration of the court and has supervisory powers over Magistrate's courts. 

Physical address
Plot 2, the Square Kampala
74 judgments

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74 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
September 2025
Appellant failed to prove respondent’s lorry caused collision; appellate court upheld trial finding of appellant’s negligence.
Negligence – burden of proof on plaintiff – credibility of witnesses – locus visit evidence; intoxication as factor in causation and negligence; appellate re-evaluation of factual findings on first appeal.
12 September 2025
Appellants' plaint disclosed a cause of action; bailiff immunity inapplicable where fraud is alleged, respondents reinstated.
Cause of action — Order 7 rule 11 CPR — pleadings must show right, violation and defendant's liability; Officer of court/bailiff immunity — not available where fraud is pleaded; Purchaser at execution sale — necessary party where validity of sale and title are challenged; Appellate re‑evaluation of facts — reinstatement and remittal where removal of parties lacks reasons.
12 September 2025
The High Court held the plaint disclosed a cause of action; removal of defendants was erroneous and they must be reinstated.
Civil procedure — Order 7 rule 11 — plaint must disclose cause of action; Cause of action test: right, violation, liability (Tororo Cement); Officer-of-court/bailiff immunity limited where fraud is pleaded; Purchaser at auction is necessary party; Appellate duty to re-evaluate factual findings.
12 September 2025
Consolidation denied where common land alone did not overcome differing parties, causes of action, remedies and procedural stages.
Civil procedure – consolidation of suits – Order 11 r.1 CPR – common subject matter insufficient where parties, causes of action, remedies and stages differ; court balances expediency against prejudice and delay.
12 September 2025
Long unchallenged occupation (over 12 years) can establish adverse possession defeating a registered proprietor’s eviction claim.
Land law – Adverse possession – Open, continuous and unchallenged occupation for over twelve years can defeat a registered proprietor’s claim; Memorandum of understanding – invalidity where illiterate party not shown to have understood terms; Kibanja/bona fide occupant status – requirements under section 29 Land Act.
12 September 2025
Plaintiff failed to prove inter vivos gift of registered land; estate title and lack of possessory status defeated trespass claim.
Land law – inter vivos gift of registered land — formalities and transfer requirements; proof of intention, delivery and acceptance; evidentiary burden in civil suits; possession and trespass — claimant must be in possession to establish unlawful entry.
8 September 2025
August 2025
High Court revision decisions are final and not appealable; application for leave and extension to appeal struck out.
Civil procedure – Revision proceedings – Whether High Court decisions made in revision are appealable; Appeal as creature of statute; Section 83 CPA and Article 134(2) Constitution; Extension of time and leave to appeal inapplicable to revision decisions; Inherent jurisdiction and limits.
18 August 2025
Applicant in physical possession granted temporary injunction to preserve status quo pending resolution of competing land claims.
* Land law – interlocutory injunction – preservation of status quo pending trial – prima facie case, irreparable harm, balance of convenience. * Possession vs registered title – applicant in actual physical possession; competing claims of registration and alleged sale agreements. * Administrative/state interventions in land disputes – factual findings on threats to evict following state house recommendations. * Costs – interlocutory costs to abide final determination.
11 August 2025
July 2025
Appellant had no proprietary interest; memorandum of understanding was not a binding contract, so appeal dismissed with costs.
* Civil procedure – Cause of action – plaint and annexures considered to determine whether a plaint discloses a cause of action. * Contract law – Memorandum of understanding – binding effect depends on intention to be bound, consideration, and part-performance. * Property law – Powers of Attorney and sale agreement – identification of purchaser and proof of payment determinative of proprietary rights. * Appeal – First appellate court duty to re-evaluate evidence but also to apply correct legal tests as to cause of action.
31 July 2025
Registered title prevails where appellant fails to prove an equitable interest or timely raise adverse possession.
Land law – Registered title as prima facie/conclusive evidence of ownership (Registration of Titles Act s.59); Proof of equitable/kibanja interest requires agreement or proof of payment (busulu); Adverse possession cannot be introduced for the first time on appeal—must be pleaded and evidenced at trial; Duty of first appellate court to re-evaluate evidence and draw its own conclusions; Burden of proof lies on person alleging ownership (Evidence Act ss.101–102).
14 July 2025
Applicant's challenge partly rejected; main civil suit dismissed as time‑barred and costs awarded to the applicant.
* Civil procedure – preliminary objections – factual matters cannot be disposed of on preliminary point. * Pleading – plaint must be read with annexures to determine whether a cause of action is disclosed. * Limitation – land claims barred after 12 years; plaintiff must plead disability to suspend limitation. * Institutions of Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act – need not be retrospective to enable recovery of property interfered with during abolition; limitation runs from restoration.
14 July 2025
June 2025
Claim to cancel registered title dismissed as time‑barred and res judicata; fraud particulars were held sufficient.
* Limitation of actions – recovery of land – 12‑year limitation and accrual rules (Limitation Act ss.5, 6(2), 25) – discovery of fraud delays accrual. * Res judicata – Civil Procedure Act s.7 – prior Misc Cause No.86 of 2016 disposing of same issues. * Pleadings – particulars of fraud – Order 6 r.3 Civil Procedure Rules – sufficiency of particulars. * Locus standi – caveat and entitlement to sue following prior finding.
30 June 2025
Appellate court upheld interlocutory injunction where applicant showed prima facie case, irreparable harm, and favorable balance of convenience.
Civil procedure – interlocutory injunctions; status quo to be preserved; prima facie case and likelihood of success; irreparable injury; balance of convenience; appellate re-evaluation of evidence (s.80 CPA).
20 June 2025
Applicant's dismissed appeal reinstated after court finds sufficient cause for nonappearance due to judge's indisposition.
Civil procedure – Reinstatement of dismissed appeals/applications – Order 9 Rule 22 and Order 9 Rule 23(1) CPR – Sufficient cause for nonappearance – Effect of court communication (judge indisposed) – Discretion to set aside dismissal and reinstate matter.
18 June 2025
Contempt claim dismissed: conditional stay lapsed for non-payment of required security, so respondents not in contempt.
Contempt of court — elements: lawful order, knowledge, ability to comply, disobedience; Conditional stay of execution — obligation to deposit security by a fixed date; Failure to satisfy condition — conditional interlocutory order operates itself out (automatically vacated); Burden of proof — party alleging compliance must prove payment/receipt in court.
13 June 2025
Applicant lacked locus to review boundary-opening order and showed no authority to represent the alleged mentally‑ill owner.
Civil procedure — Review — Locus standi — Applicant must prove aggrievement and legal standing to seek review of an order in which he was not a party; Mental Health Act — capacity to manage affairs — a mentally ill person retains the right to manage affairs unless a Mental Health Board or court has determined otherwise; representation — requires court order, Board finding, or power of attorney; unsworn medical reports insufficient to confer authority.
13 June 2025
High Court dismissed revision of taxed costs, holding taxation/appeal remedies, not revision, are appropriate.
Civil procedure – Revision under s.83 CPA limited to jurisdictional error or illegal/material irregularity; Costs – judicial discretion to award costs on withdrawal under s.27 CPA; Taxation – challenge to taxed bill or ex parte taxation lies by application to taxing court or appeal/tax reference (Advocates Act s.62), not by revision.
6 June 2025
Leave to amend defence and add counterclaim refused for delay, failure to attach proposed amendment, and procedural non‑compliance.
Civil procedure – Amendment of pleadings (Order 6 r19 CPR) – Discretion to amend – Timelines for interlocutory applications (Order 12 r3) – Proposed amended pleading must be attached – Counterclaim is a separate cause of action and cannot be introduced by amending a defence where none was pleaded – Mistake of counsel insufficient to cure procedural non‑compliance.
2 June 2025
May 2025
Contempt application against the respondents dismissed; impugned ministerial letter was quashed in a prior proceeding.
* Contempt of court – civil contempt – elements to prove: existence of lawful order, knowledge, ability to comply, failure to comply. * Standard of proof – higher than balance of probabilities in contempt proceedings. * Administrative act ultra vires – ministerial letter quashed in separate proceeding. * Res judicata/double jeopardy – prior determination of same issue precludes further orders. * Evidence – need to connect alleged conduct and documentary/photographic proof to respondents.
30 May 2025

 

12 May 2025

 

12 May 2025

 

12 May 2025

 

9 May 2025

 

9 May 2025
April 2025

 

11 April 2025

 

9 April 2025

 

4 April 2025

 

2 April 2025
March 2025

Employment—public service—workers compensation—COVID-19—occupational disease—medical officer—death in course of duty—jurisdiction—scheduled disease—presumption of infection—proof of employment—dependants—statutory entitlement—special damages—general damages—interest—costs

26 March 2025

 

21 March 2025

 

21 March 2025

 

17 March 2025

 

12 March 2025
February 2025

 

26 February 2025

 

20 February 2025

 

20 February 2025

 

17 February 2025

 

17 February 2025

 

13 February 2025

 

11 February 2025

 

10 February 2025

 

10 February 2025

 

10 February 2025
January 2025

 

31 January 2025

 

31 January 2025

 

31 January 2025

 

31 January 2025

 

29 January 2025

 

24 January 2025

 

22 January 2025