Kampala, Uganda: The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has suspended all physical administrative operations at ULS House with immediate effect, citing deteriorating security conditions and the need to safeguard its staff, members and institutional operations amid growing political tensions in Uganda.
In an Executive Order issued on Monday, June 29, the ULS Council said the move was taken as a business continuity measure following what it described as “credible risks” posed by the prevailing security and political environment.
The directive, signed by Acting Secretary Ssali Babu and Vice President Asiimwe Anthony, follows earlier statements by the Society titled “No one is safe” issued on June 28 and “Practicing Law amid Military Rule” released on February 5, both of which warned of shrinking civic space and increasing risks facing legal practitioners.
“All physical administrative operations at ULS House are hereby suspended until further notice. This measure shall remain in effect as a necessary risk mitigation and business continuity action,” the Executive Order states.
Services Shift Online
Despite the closure of its headquarters, the Society said its operations would continue remotely to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
According to the order, departments including Finance and Administration, Human Resources, Members’ Affairs, Communications, Information Technology, Procurement, and Professional Development will continue operating virtually.
However, the Legal Aid Project (LAP) will remain physically operational both at ULS House and at all Legal Aid Project offices across Uganda to ensure members of the public continue accessing legal services.
The Society also announced that it would accelerate digitisation of case intake, case tracking and client communication over the next 12 months while proceeding with the planned #TechFest2026, a digital transformation initiative aimed at helping law firms transition to paperless operations.
The latest directive comes against the backdrop of the Uganda Law Society’s ongoing nationwide boycott of court proceedings.
In recent months, the Society has urged advocates to suspend participation in criminal proceedings presided over by military courts and has intensified protests over what it describes as attacks on judicial independence, violations of constitutional rights and increasing intimidation of lawyers representing political detainees.
Relations between the legal fraternity and government have remained strained following the election of the Radical New Bar leadership under President Isaac Ssemakadde, whose administration has taken a more confrontational stance on constitutional governance, rule of law and accountability.
The Society has repeatedly maintained that its actions are intended to defend constitutionalism and protect access to justice rather than disrupt the administration of justice.
The suspension of physical operations also comes amid a series of high-profile developments involving Uganda’s media, civil society and opposition actors.
On Sunday, Nation Media Group Uganda announced that its headquarters in Namuwongo had been rendered inaccessible following a military operation that disrupted operations at NTV Uganda, Daily Monitor, Spark TV, Dembe FM, and other affiliated platforms.
The shutdown followed remarks by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who accused the media house of promoting what he described as anti-government activities. Although discussions on reopening the outlets are reportedly underway, the military deployment has drawn concern from opposition parties, media rights advocates and legal organisations.
The National Unity Platform (NUP), the country’s leading opposition party, has since condemned the closure as an attack on press freedom, while several civil society organisations have warned of shrinking democratic space ahead of the 2026–2031 political cycle.
Human rights lawyers have also expressed concern over increasing arrests of activists, opposition supporters and online commentators in recent weeks, arguing that the cumulative effect of these actions has heightened anxiety among institutions involved in governance, justice and accountability.
The Uganda Law Society said it will continue monitoring the security situation before determining when normal operations at ULS House can resume. “The Society shall continue to monitor the situation closely and will issue updates on the possible resumption of physical operations at ULS House through its official channels as and when circumstances permit.”
The Executive Order took immediate effect upon issuance on June 29, 2026.
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