Charismatic and passionate warm and wise, Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ), Hon. Lady Justice Laetitia Eulalia Mary Mukasa-Kikonyogo died aged 77. She was a woman of firsts who celebrated the experience of being the first female magistrate rising through the ranks to become the first female DCJ in Uganda.
Hon. Lady Justice Kikonyogo passed away yesterday (November 23, 2017) at Mulago Medical School after suffering a heart attack.
According to family members, Hon.Lady Justice Kikonyogo had been rushed to Mulago Medical School after she developed complications at home. Before she was taken to Mulago, she was first rushed to Namulundu health centre in Kajjansi before being referred to Mulago after she failed to respond to first aid.
Mr. Joseph Kyagulanyi Kikonyongo, husband to the deceased says the deceased had never suffered from anything like pressure.
"She has been a strong person. She has never had any other medical condition apart from her illness and we had all gotten used to that. We are surprised she is gone now because we all thought she would outlive us."
According to the husband, Hon.Lady Justice Kikonyogo has been sick for more than five years now and has been under constant surveillance and treatment.
Judiciary's Senior Communications Officer, Mr Solomon Muyita, says the former DCJ was suffering from Parkinson's disease, disease that affects the brain leading to constant shaking.
Life and times of Hon. Lady Justice Kikonyongo
The former Deputy Chief Justice, Hon.Lady Justice Laetitia Eulalia Mary Mukasa-Kikonyogo was the first Ugandan woman magistrate Grade I (1971-1973), the first woman Chief Magistrate (1973-1986), the first woman to be appointed High Court judge (1986)and sat on the Court of Appeal to hear criminal appeals.
In 1997, Hon. Lady Justice Mukasa-Kikonyogo was also appointed the first woman justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda and the first woman to be appointed Deputy Chief Justice.
She was also the head of the Court of Appeal and president of the Constitutional Court of Uganda in February 2001. Hon.Lady Justice Mukasa-Kikonyogo was the first African president of the International Association of Women Judges.
She was also one of the first two Ugandan dames to be named women papal knights in the history of the Catholic Church in the whole of Africa.
Born on September 2, 1940, Hon.Lady Justice Mukasa-Kikonyogo went to Busuubizi Girls' Primary School (1948-1952), Trinity College, Nabbingo in 'O' Level (1953-1958), King's College, Budo in ‘A’ Level (1959-1960) before joining Makerere University where she graduated with B.A. London certificate (1964-1968).
She also studied at Somerville College Oxford for a post graduate diploma in Social Anthropology (1964-1965)and at the Inner Temple and Council of Legal Education - London for a Bar course and Barrister at Law degree (1965-1968).
Hon. Lady Justice Mukasa-Kikonyogo was a member of the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers and Africa region vice-president of International Federation of Women Lawyers. In May this year,she was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Women in Leadership Conference for an illustrious 37-year judicial career.
Posted 24th, November 2017
