Sam is a founding partner of the Firm and heads the Banking and Finance Department. He has been practicing as a lawyer for almost 45 years and is recognised as a leading authority on land law and in the Ugandan banking and financial services sector. His main areas of practice include banking and finance, real estate, agriculture and litigation.
Over the years, Sam has distinguished himself across numerous sectors within the law. Prior to joining KAA, he worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa a Legal Adviser on the Transcontinental Highway from Lagos to Mombasa and was the Bank Secretary at the Uganda Development Bank. He was retained as a legal consultant by the World Bank and worked on setting up the legal framework for the Northern Corridor Transport and Transit Organisation.
A respected draftsperson and writer, Sam represented the Uganda Bankers Association in the drafting of the present code of conduct of Ugandan Banks, and was part of the team that drafted the current Financial Institutions Act, the Condominium Properties Act, Expropriated Properties Act, East African Development Bank Act, among others. Sam is a notable writer and has published numerous legal publications.
Sam has represented various clients in litigation matters pertaining to banking and finance, constitutional petitions, land law and insolvency laws. He has represented the President of Uganda in three presidential election petitions.
Professional Memberships
- Uganda Law Society
- East African Law Society
Professional Qualifications
- Master of Laws (LL.M) from Makerere University
- Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Law Development Centre
- Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), Makerere University
Employment History
- 2001 – Present: Senior Partner, Kampala Associated Advocates
- 1999 – 2001: Partner, Sam Mayanja & Co. Advocates
- 1989 – 1999: Bank Secretary, Uganda Development Bank
- 1977 – 1981: Lecturer in Law, Law Development Centre
Top Matters
- Involved in a tripartite negotiation between East African Development Bank, Centenary Rural Development Bank and Muddu Oils Ltd to reschedule a loan.
- Headed the team that carried out debt collection for Civil Aviation Authority where UGX. 54,000,000,000 was recovered.
- Heading a team that is overseeing the collection of over UGX.1,500,000,000 out of an assigned portfolio of UGX.3,000,000,000 from various unsecured loan defaulters of Barclays Bank Uganda Limited.
- Advised the Bank of Uganda (Agricultural Policy Secretariat) on how to handle the Ginnery loans extended to cotton ginneries by the World Bank through the now defunct Co-operative Bank.
- Acted as a legal adviser to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on the Trans-African Highways Programme, where he helped set up the Secretariat of the Trans-Africa Highway Authority (Lagos-Mombasa) at Bangui, Central African Republic.
- He also assisted the Ministry of Finance in its negotiations with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) on its assumption of the Ginnery loans formerly handled by the Cooperative Bank.
- Successfully negotiated a Sembule Group of Companies Loan dispute settlement between Bank of Uganda, PTA Bank and the Sembule Group of Companies. The original principal amount involved was US$ 6.5 million.
- Appointed Consultant by NPART (Uganda Commercial Bank Non-performing Trust) to help the recovering of the Uganda Commercial Bank non-performing loans.
- Advised the Bank of Uganda (Agricultural Policy Secretariat) on how to handle the ginnery loans extended to the Cotton Ginneries by World Bank through Co-operative Bank – under liquidation.
- Appointed by the Ministry of Finance to negotiate with Standard Chartered Bank for that Bank to take over the Ginnery Loans formerly handled by the Co-operative Bank.
- Acted on behalf of M/s SGS, an international Swiss company in debt collection.
- Represented the Uganda Development Bank on the Uganda Bankers Association and helped draft the present code of conduct for association.
- Represented Uganda Development Bank on the Board of Directors of Uganda Institute of Bankers.
- Assisted in drafting the current Financial Institutions Act during its formative years as a member of the drafting committee of this Bill in the Uganda Banker’s Association.
- Appointed World Bank Consultant to review and update the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Agreement. The Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Authority consists of the Republic of Kenya, The Republic of Uganda, The Republic of DR Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan. This contract is on-going up to 31st March 2020.
