Kampala, (UG):- The Uganda Law Society (ULS), an umbrella body for all legal practitioners in Uganda has fired back at Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo accusing him of weaponizing the judiciary to intimidate and silence the Bar President, Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde.
In a strongly worded protest note signed by Vice President Mr Anthony Asiimwe, the ULS condemned the Chief Justice’s decision to remove Ssemakadde from the programme lineup during the launch of the New Law Year 2025, describing it as an attempt to stifle the voice of the Bar.
“We take particular exception to the arbitrary removal of our President Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde from the programme of the New Law Year 2025, and seemingly from all future Judiciary events during his tenure as ULS President. This action not only silences the voice of the Bar but also undermines the very notion of a collaborative relationship between the judiciary and the legal profession,” the protest note unveiled to the media on Thursday afternoon reads in part.
The ULS further expressed concern over alleged retaliatory actions by Justice Musa Ssekaana against Ssemakadde and the Chief Justice’s intervention to demand an apology from the ULS President with threatened severe consequences should he fail to comply.
“Your lack of clear charges, your denial of a fair hearing, and your transparently repugnant interference with ongoing legal matters affecting our President and the Bar all betray the most basic tenets of natural justice,” the note read further.
The controversy, which has turned into bad blood between the two legal heads, stems from remarks Ssemakadde allegedly made about Justice Ssekaana in January 2022, before assuming his role as ULS President.
This publication understands that Judge Ssekaana, hurt by the comments of the now-Bar President, subsequently lodged complaints with the police and the Law Council, seeking disciplinary action against Ssemakadde.
However, ULS argues that this was a personal matter between the judge and the lawyer and that the Chief Justice’s involvement at a national event was inappropriate. “The irony of the Chief Justice’s action is that it vindicates the denied speech of our President in which he called for the judiciary to welcome feedback without misgivings, to expect scrutiny, not silence, to embrace dissent not criminalize it, and to embrace the public’s anger not suppress it,” ULS stated in an accompanying statement.
Call for Dialogue and Reconciliation
The ULS has therefore demanded an urgent Bar-Bench meeting mediated by neutral facilitators to resolve the escalating tensions and restore professional relations.
“In light of these concerns, we urge you to take immediate action to address this grave injustice. We propose an urgent Bar-Bench meeting, facilitated by neutral mediators, to resolve this crisis and restore faith in justice, fairness, and due process,” the protest note reads.
The Radical New Bar also reminded the Chief Justice of his historical role as a mediator in conflict resolution, including his involvement in peace negotiations, calling upon him to exercise the same spirit of dialogue in handling the current dispute.
The Protest Note, which DailyExpress has seen, was also copied to key stakeholders, including the Deputy Chief Justice, Principal Judge, Chief Registrar, and heads of regional and international legal bodies.
As the fallout continues, legal professionals and observers await the Chief Justice’s response, with many calling for a constructive resolution that upholds judicial independence while fostering a collaborative relationship between the Bench and the Bar.
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