The High Court’s Civil Division has nullified the Uganda Cancer Institute’s (UCI) decision to remove Dr. Victoria Walusansa from her position as Deputy Director.

The ruling, delivered on Friday by Justice Musa Sekaana, stated that Walusansa’s removal by UCI Executive Director Dr. Jackson Orem was illegal.

Walusansa, who has held the deputy director position since her appointment by President Museveni in March 2013, took the matter to court after Orem declared her post vacant and issued an internal advertisement seeking applicants in December 2022.

In its defence, UCI argued that the position was declared vacant following Walusansa’s promotion to Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist by the President in May 2022.

However, Justice Sekaana ruled that Orem had no legal grounds to remove her, as only the President has the authority to appoint, remove, or suspend any person from such positions under the law.

Sekaana emphasized that Walusansa’s promotion was intended to complement her existing role at the institute.

He condemned the decision-making process, stating, “Public decisions must be free from improper motives such as fraud, dishonesty, or personal interest, which distort the fairness of the decision and exceed legal authority.”

The judge further criticized UCI management for failing to adhere to the legal framework governing their decision-making powers, asserting that their actions undermined the Uganda Cancer Institute Act.

He warned against the imposition of baseless policies that could jeopardize the institute’s ability to provide care for cancer patients.

In addition to reinstating Walusansa, the court ordered that neither Orem nor any UCI official should intimidate, victimize, or harass her following the court’s decision.

The ruling comes amidst growing tensions at UCI, where infighting among top officials has drawn the attention of Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, who previously called for an end to internal conflicts to safeguard patient care.

Earlier this year, staff petitioned the Inspectorate of Government (IG) over similar allegations involving senior officials unlawfully removing colleagues from their positions.