Uganda Case Law

Afroludo Limited v Uganda Registration Services Bureau & Another

Afroludo Limited v Uganda Registration Services Bureau & Another (Civil Suit 262 of 2022) [2025] UGHCCD 18 (14 February 2025)

Court

HC: Civil Division (Uganda)

Case number

Civil Suit 262 of 2022

Judge

Musa Ssekaana, J

The court found that the 1st defendant's rejection of the plaintiff's trademark application was illegal, irrational, and unfair, as it relied on an imported and unreliable interpretation of the word 'Nyege' rather than its meaning in the local context where the festival is held. The 1st defendant failed to exercise its discretionary power fairly and consistently. The 2nd defendant's registration of the business name 'Nyege Nyege Music Festival' was found to be fraudulent and misleading, as it was done with knowledge of the plaintiff's established reputation and with the intent to cause confus…

Source excerpt

• Trademark Registration
• Business Name Registration
• Passing Off
• Registrar Discretion
• Public Policy And Morality

Akso Nobel Coatings International BV v Kansai Plascon Uganda Limited (Trademark Registration 59228 of 2018)

Akso Nobel Coatings International BV v Kansai Plascon Uganda Limited (Trademark Registration 59228 of 2018) [2019] UGRSB 2 (31 July 2019)

Court

Uganda Registration Services Bureau

Case number

Trademark Registration 59228 of 2018

Judge

Agaba Gilbert - Director Intellectual Property

The Registrar held that WEATHERSHIELD registration 59228 was unlawfully entered in light of the earlier WEATH...

• Trademark Registration
• Rectification Of Register
• Similarity Of Marks
• Registrar Discretion
• Aggrieved Party
• Exceptions To Registration

East African Electric Co. Ltd v Registrar of Companies for the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya (Misc. Civil Case No. 39 of 1951)

East African Electric Co. Ltd v Registrar of Companies for the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya (Misc. Civil Case No. 39 of 1951) [1952] EACA 270 (1 January 1952)

Court

East African Court of Appeal

Case number

Misc. Civil Case No. 39 of 1951

Judge

Connell J

The court held that Companies Ordinance provisions on changing a company name apply to foreign companies registered in Kenya, and dismissed mandamus against the Registrar.

• Company Registration
• Change Of Company Name
• Foreign Company Operations
• Registrar Discretion
• Company-registration
• Change-of-company-name

Kalyanjee v M.M Stores

Kalyanjee v M.M Stores (Civil Appeal No. 24 of 1947) [1950] EACA 630 (1 January 1950)

Court

East African Court of Appeal

Case number

Civil Appeal No. 24 of 1947

Judges

Nihill, C.J

The court held that the Registrar's discretion in taxation of costs, particularly regarding quantum, is generally final and should only be interfered with in exceptional cases where it is clear that a wrong principle has been applied. In this case, although the instruction fee was slightly more than the total value of the suit, the complexity of the issues and the necessity of engaging counsel justified the amount allowed. The withdrawal of the appeal by the defendant did not affect the costs already incurred by the plaintiff. The court found no evidence that the Registrar acted on a wrong pr…

Source excerpt

• Taxation Of Costs
• Quantum Of Costs
• Registrar Discretion
• Complexity Of Issues
• Appeal Against Taxation

Pirbhai Sunderji and Co. v Compagnie Des Chemin De Fer Du Congo Superieur Aux Grands - Lacs Africains (C.A. 33/1933.)

Pirbhai Sunderji and Co. v Compagnie Des Chemin De Fer Du Congo Superieur Aux Grands - Lacs Africains (C.A. 33/1933.) [1937] EACA 145 (1 January 1937)

Court

East African Court of Appeal

Case number

C.A. 33/1933.

Judge

Lucie-Smith Ag CJ (Kenya)

The Court of Appeal for Eastern Africa upheld a Registrar’s taxation, finding Sh. 500 for instructions and Sh. 600 for perusing a mostly French record reasonable.

• Taxation Of Costs
• Registrar Discretion
• Instructions Fee
• Perusal Fee
• Court Of Appeal Rules
• Taxation-of-costs