Court Temporarily Halts IRA Decision Blocking CEO Contract Renewal

Kampala, June 3, 2026 - The High Court in Kampala has temporarily halted the implementation of a decision by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) Board declining to recommend Chief Executive Officer Ibrahim Lubega Kaddunabbi for contract renewal, pending the determination of a judicial review application challenging the process.

The interim administrative order, issued by Justice Joyce Kavuma on May 29, preserves the status quo while the court considers a substantive application filed by Kaddunabbi contesting the legality of the board’s February 16, 2026 decision.

The ruling bars the IRA Board from implementing, enforcing, or acting upon its decision not to recommend Kaddunabbi for reappointment until the court reaches a final determination on the matter.

At the centre of the dispute is Kaddunabbi’s argument that the process leading to the board’s decision was procedurally flawed and should be subjected to judicial review. Through his legal team, he maintains that he retains rights arising from his employment contract that warrant protection while the case is being heard.

The Insurance Regulatory Authority and its board chairperson, Dr Isaac Nabeta Nkoote, opposed the request for interim relief, arguing that Kaddunabbi’s contract was nearing expiry and that preserving his position through a court order would effectively amount to extending or renewing his contract, a mandate they contend falls within the authority of appointing bodies under the law.

Despite the court order, the ruling does not automatically reinstate Kaddunabbi as chief executive. On June 1, the IRA Board appointed Protazio Sande, the regulator’s Director of Strategy and Market Development, to serve as acting Chief Executive Officer pending further developments.