Anthony Wameli, the Head of Legal of National Unity Platform (NUP) has passed on.
According to Robert Kyagulanyi, the NUP President, Wameli passed on from the U.S. where he has been admitted for treatment.
“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. Details will be provided in due course. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Kyagulanyi announced on his official Twitter account.
Wameli had earlier complained of abdominal complications.
Later, the lawyer was diagnosed with colon cancer (bowel cancer) by the doctors at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts in the United States of America where he was hospitalized in September 2021.
He was first admitted between June and July 2021.
Speaking from his sickbed in Boston, Wameli told URN that after the June admission, thorough biopsies were done but it is only recently when they confirmed that he had stage four cancer.
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 was a Pastor at Ebenezer Christian Fellowship in Kanyanya.
He 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 is also the legal representative of Jamilu Mukulu, the former head of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels.