Peering at Justice Dr. Douglas Singiza from the dock as he read his judgment regarding an appeal to have his court-martial conviction overturned, Eron Kiiza let out a half smile and winked at one of his admirers in court.
Dressed in a dark blue blazer and a white shirt, the 43-year-old lawyer had the kind of demeanor and facial expression that read: “I am ready for anything. Bring it on.”
When Singiza finally gave his verdict that the High Court did not have the jurisdiction to overrule a judgment of the military court, Kiiza as if on cue, turned to the prison warder on his left and laid out his arms to be handcuffed.
No scuffle, no worries.
In the background, there were the rallying chants of “We shall overcome” which has become a soundtrack of sorts to Kiiza’s trial and that of Dr Kizza Besigye, whom Kiiza was representing before the unfortunate conviction.
Kiiza has spent roughly two months at Luzira after the military court sentenced him to nine months in January but on the evidence of his appearance yesterday, his resolve appears to have been unshaken by the experience.
Over the years, his unwavering commitment to justice and the rule of law has positioned him at the forefront of some of Uganda’s intriguing legal battles, particularly in defending those whose rights have been trampled upon by those who wield power.
In 2021, Kiiza was part of the legal team advocating for the release of human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo, who had been abducted from the restaurant before facing charges of money laundering—a charge that was widely viewed as politically motivated because of his human rights work. In the end, the state dropped the charges.
In 2022, Kiiza spearheaded efforts against the degradation of Bugoma Forest in Hoima District which put him at odds with the authorities.
Perhaps his most prominent client was Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, the writer who was tortured and imprisoned over his critical stance against state repression. Rukirabashaija ended up in exile in Germany but Kiiza played a big role in highlighting the injustice surrounding his incarceration.
Beyond his legal endeavors, Kiiza is a published poet and environmentalist. His commitment to human rights and environmental conservation has not gone unnoticed.
It has earned him several accolades such as the 2022 Central Uganda Human Rights Defender of the Year, awarded by the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Uganda. In the same year, he was nominated for the European Union Human Rights Defender of the Year award.
While Kiiza is not the first lawyer to actively engage in human rights advocacy in Uganda, his relentless pursuit of justice, even at great personal risk and against other odds, marks him out.
He has risen from the ashes of Rukira Primary School in Ntungamo to the heights of University of Pretoria in Suth Africa where he pursued various specialised courses. He runs a law firm (Kiiza & Mugisha Advocates) and has been a faciliator at several human rights trainings at home and abroad.
As Uganda grapples with political repression and human rights violations ahead of the 2026 elections, people like Kiiza embody an unbreakable spirit.
In their advocacy for a free and just society, they can be beaten, tortured, or even incarcerated. But they can’t be silenced.
