Isaac Ssemakadde, President of the Uganda Law Society (ULS), has declined an appointment to the nation's Law Reform Committee, launching sharp criticism against Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo for fostering "judicial tyranny" and undermining public accountability.

In a June 17 letter to the Chief Justice, Ssemakadde stated:

"I refuse the appointment... Your actions at the opening of the New Law Year on 7 February 2025, including removing me from the programme, demanding an apology, and declaring the Bar unwelcome to 'your home', have sown seeds of discord."

Ssemakadde referenced his ongoing self-exile, stemming from a February 14 arrest warrant issued against him for alleged contempt of court by Justice Musa Ssekaana. He described the warrant as

"a manifestly void order... pending expungement for far too long,"
warning it erodes
"the judiciary’s credibility, fairness, and efficiency."

The ULS President further condemned systemic delays within Uganda's justice system, highlighting the Masaka court backlog of 4,290 cases managed by just one judge and registrar – a situation he called indicative of nationwide "unmanned judiciary hardware." He urged the committee to prioritize reforming colonial-era laws criminalizing "scandalizing the judiciary," labeling them

"a blunt instrument of judicial tyranny"
, and endorsed British judge Simon Brown's view that citizen criticism of judges merits no more than
"a wry smile."

Ssemakadde recommended ULS Vice President Anthony Asimwe as his replacement, expressing

"full confidence in his abilities to contribute to the noble endeavour of law reform."

While Ssemakadde's rejection underscores serious grievances within Uganda's judiciary, legal analysts debate whether refusing the appointment squanders a crucial platform to drive internal reforms on issues like transparency and judicial independence. The Judiciary has not publicly responded to the allegations.

Tags:

#Judicial Reform #Uganda Law Society #Isaac Ssemakadde #Judiciary Accountability #Legal Controversy