The head of the Legal Department of opposition political party, National Unity Platform (NUP), Anthony Wameli, is dead.
The news of his passing has on Wednesday been confirmed by NUP President, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine.
“Very sad day! Just learnt of the untimely passing of our dear brother and Head of our Legal Team, comrade Wameli Anthony from the U.S. where he’s been admitted for treatment,” Bobi Wine wrote on Twitter, adding that details regarding his death will be provided in due course.
Wameli was diagnosed with colon cancer alias bowel cancer by the doctors at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts in the United States of America where he has been hospitalized since September 2021.
Stage four colon cancer occurs when cancer spreads to other tissue and organs such as the liver. It may also reach the lungs, the lymph nodes, or the lining of the abdominal cavity.
On September 10 2021, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) named Wameli as the criminal defence lawyer of the year. The ULS Annual General Meeting also voted Wameli and Company Advocates, which employs eight Advocates as the law firm of the year.
Wameli, who has been a Pastor at Ebenezer Christian Fellowship in Kanyanya rose to the limelight in 2017 when he represented the suspects accused of murdering former Police Spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard Kenneth Erau and driver, Godfrey Mambewa.
He has also been the legal representative of Jamilu Mukulu, the alleged head of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and former presidential candidates retired Lt. General Henry Tumukunde and Robert Kyagulanyi.