KAMPALA, UGANDA: Maverick City Lawyer Isaac Ssemakadde is on the course to be the next president of the Uganda Law Society (ULS) after being successfully nominated for the post ahead of the 2022/23 elections.
Ssemakadde’s nomination was confirmed on Tuesday, August 9 by the ULS Electoral Committee Chairperson, Mr. Omunyokol George declaring him a presidential candidate for the upcoming elections.
“I, George Omunyokol, being the chairperson of the Uganda Law Society (ULS) Electoral Committee do hereby declare Isaac Ssemakadde duly nominated for the post of President for the Uganda Law Society Executive Council 2022-2023,” the declaration form, a copy of which has been seen by this website reads in part.
The celebrated Rights Lawyer and activist will seek to replace Ms Pheona Wall Nabasa who has held the term for two successive terms since 2020.
Who is Isaac Ssemakadde?
Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde is a Ugandan attorney who describes himself as an anti-clockwise thinker who can’t obey standing orders and likes to question society.
He attended Bright Grammar School, in Masaka District for his Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) and earned a scholarship at St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) from where he attained his O’ and A’ level certificates. Thereafter, Ssemakadde joined Makerere University where he graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law. During his time at Makerere University, he served as the President Makerere University Law Society.
A brilliant human rights defender, Ssemakadde says specific occurrences have shaped his thinking ever since his school days. He used to question culture and traditions. He does not want to be understood by everybody, because his business is not to please people but rather to represent his clientele.
In April 2018, Ssemakadde was named the most outstanding public interest litigation lawyer in Uganda by the Uganda Law Society.
The self-proclaimed Legal rebel began his career at Bowmans (A.F Mpanga Advocates), one of the most reputable law firms in the country. Thereafter, he co-founded Legal Brains Trust with a colleague while studying at the Law Development Centre (LDC).
Legal Brains Trust which is sometimes referred to as The Shrine, Ark and The Last Chance Saloon is a universal firm that handles any type of case regardless. It doesn’t lock out a certain calibre of people; it’s just open to everybody.
Ssemakadde shot in the limelight when he defended Rights Activist Dr. Stella Nyanzi in her case of cyber harassment and offensive communication against President Museveni, the President of Uganda and his wife, the First Lady of Uganda Janet Kataha Museveni through a Facebook post.
This case was politically and socially risky but Semakadde took it up because it is his interest and obligation to defend society.
Ssemakadde says he specialized in commercial law, strategic litigation, consumer law, human rights and research for which committed public interest attorneys Prof. Joe Oloka Onyango and Sylvia Tamale shaped his world views and post-university experience.
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