Kampala, Uganda: The embattled Uganda Law Society (ULS) council has once again been thrown into legal turmoil after the High Court in Kampala issued a temporary injunction halting its highly anticipated Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections for nominees to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that were scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2025.
Justice Bernard Namanya delivered the ruling on Thursday, barring the ULS, its Council, and members from convening the meeting at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe until the pending court case challenging the legality of the current Council is determined.
“A temporary injunction is hereby issued restraining the Uganda Law Society, its members and any of its officials from convening and holding an Annual General Meeting on 18th October 2025 or any other date until the final determination of the main suit,” ruled Justice Namanya.
The order also suspends all resolutions passed during the September 17, 2025 ULS general meeting held at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala — which the applicants argued was convened by an unlawfully constituted Council.
The injunction followed an application by members Martha Nabijewa and Tonny Tumukunde, who accused the current ULS Council of operating illegally without the participation of statutory members such as the Attorney General, Solicitor General, and Central Region Representative, Geoffrey Turyamusiima.
The main suit contests the validity of the Council’s decisions and meetings, citing Section 9 of the Uganda Law Society Act, which defines the Council’s composition and powers.
However, the ULS Vice President Anthony Asiimwe and CEO Christine Awori defended the meetings, saying they were convened lawfully by members under Section 16, which allows requisitioned meetings. The duo accused the applicants of trying to derail the process of electing ULS representatives to the Judicial Service Commission.
But Justice Namanya, found that both meetings were organized under the disputed Council’s authority and that the case raised substantial legal issues requiring determination. He emphasized that proceeding with the AGM and JSC elections would risk perpetuating illegality.
“The election of nominees by the Uganda Law Society for appointment to the Commission must be devoid of any illegality,” Justice Namanya stated.
The judge cited the pending Court of Appeal Civil Appeal No. 98 of 2025 (ULS & Another v. Mugisha Hashim & Others), which challenges an earlier ruling declaring the Council unlawful, and reaffirmed that the February 2025 High Court ruling by Justice Musa Ssekaana remains binding until overturned.
Justice Namanya also observed that the censure of Council members Phillip Munaabi and Geoffrey Turyamusiima during the September meeting violated their right to a fair hearing.
The case will now proceed to a full hearing on October 20, 2025, to determine whether the current ULS Council is legally constituted and whether it can validly convene general meetings or elections.
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