Ssemakadde will never be detained – ULS ‘bangs table’ after High Court ruling

Kampala, (UG):- The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has issued a scathing defiant response following the decision by the High Court’s Civil Division to sentence its President, Isaac Ssemakadde, to a two-year prison term for contempt of court.

The ruling, delivered Friday, February 14th, 2025, by Justice Musa Ssekaana, found Ssemakadde guilty of making “derogatory and scandalous” remarks against the judiciary on social media.

“The repeated nature of the attacks by a person knowledgeable in legal matters and duly elected as president of Uganda Law Society invites this court to send a strong warning and caution against future contemnors,” Justice Ssekaana held in the ruling.

“Threatening statements like those made by the respondent are extremely inappropriate and dangerous to the rule of law. His statements have emboldened others to extend threats, including sharing judicial officers’ personal information, posing a security risk,” he added.

Hours later after the judgement went viral on social media, the ULS Vice President, Mr Asiimwe Anthony responded with a one-page statement condemning Judge Ssekaana’s ruling as “one-sided” and “manifestly void,” asserting that it holds no legal effect and was already part of a broader strategy to silence voices advocating for judicial accountability.

“We anticipated these extreme measures designed to suppress the Radical New Bar and our courageous President, Isaac Ssemakadde. This latest ruling is nothing more than an attempt to undermine our efforts to demand transparency and accountability in the judiciary,” said Asiimwe.

The Bar Vice President assured ULS members that the organization remains steadfast, stating, “We will continue to stand strong in the face of injustice,” he declared.

“If this blunt instrument of a misguided judicial officer was aimed at silencing our president’s voice and undermining our collective efforts, it has failed. I assure you, we will not be intimidated,” he added.

Ssemakadde’s conviction stems from a barrage of contemptuous social media posts he allegedly made following Justice Ssekaana’s decision to block an Extraordinary Annual General Meeting of the ULS, which was set to elect representatives to the Judicial Service Commission.

The case, filed by lawyer Hashim Mugisha accused Ssemakadde of contempt through a series of offensive social media posts between December 11 and December 22, 2024. Mugisha contended that these posts, including the hashtag #SsekaanaMustGo, alleged judicial bias and attacked Justice Ssekaana personally, even accusing him of sexual harassment.

But in its Friday statement, the ULS reiterated its demand for a “Radical Surgery of the Judiciary” to address issues of corruption and incompetence. The Bar also emphasized the importance of constituting a new Judicial Service Commission with democratically elected ULS nominees to ensure transparency and accountability within the judiciary.

This legal battle is one of several that Ssemakadde is currently facing. Recently, the Radical New Bar President has been involved in multiple court cases, including accusations of insulting the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo, a case which stalls in the Buganda Road court.

As the legal community and the public await further developments, the ULS remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold the rule of law and advocate for judicial reforms.