Donald Nyakairu is a Partner at ENS in Uganda.

He is a highly experienced corporate commercial lawyer. He has particular expertise in the information technology and telecommunications sector, having acted as managing director, chief legal counsel and company secretary at one of the largest telecommunications solutions providers in Uganda for 10 years. He is a registered insolvency practitioner and has been involved in several insolvency matter both as provisional administrator, a receiver and has advised on business rescue. He advises several clients operating in national and international payment systems.

Donald has been involved in various telecom sector studies including rural community development funding, determination of interconnection rates, mobile money, spectrum re-farming and quality of service. He was chairman of the Finance and Commercial Group for the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System and participated in the drawing up of various documents including the contract with the supplier and the construction and maintenance agreement. Donald also served as the chairman of the East African Backhaul System and, accordingly, has in-depth knowledge and experience in respect of telecoms infrastructure development.

His experience further includes advising clients in respect of M&A, encompassing the evaluation of financials, legal status and the preparation of bid documents.

Donald is a respected former diplomat who, during his posting to the Uganda High Commission in London, was responsible for all Commonwealth-related matters. He liaised with the Commonwealth Secretariat and numerous international bodies in the United Kingdom such as the International Coffee Organisation, Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, the International Sugar Organisation and the Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management.

Donald represents many corporate clients and assists companies in setting up their local operations in Uganda and with their regulatory compliance. His clients also include banks, which he advises on various aspects of recovery, business restructuring and securitisation.

He is a member of the following professional bodies/associations:

• Uganda Law Society and the East African Law Society
• Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management – Networker
• Visiting lecturer on telecommunication law – International Law Institute, Kampala, Uganda
• Member of Ministerial Task Force on the development of ICT Infrastructure in Uganda – 2007
• Member of Procurement Committees for various World Bank/African Development Bank projects including the Project implementation Unit of the Ministry of Education, National Water and Sewerage Corporation and the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications
• Secretary, Advisory Committee on the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy.

Education

• LLB (Hons) (Makerere University)
• Diploma in Legal Practice (Law Development Centre, Kampala, Uganda)
• LLM (Commercial and Corporate Law) (University College, University of London)
• Advocate of the High Court of the Republic of Uganda

Donald is recognised as a leading/recommended lawyer by:

• IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate Guide; Banking, M&A – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 – Highly Regarded (Uganda)
• Chambers Global Guide 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 – General Business Law (Uganda)
• The Legal 500 EMEA 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 – Legal Market Overview (Uganda)