UgandaToday: Court Declares ULS AGM Unlawful, Ssemakadde-Led Leadership Vows to Seek Alternatives
Entebbe, Uganda – 16 October 2025:
In a dramatic turn of events, the High Court’s Civil Division has declared the Uganda Law Society (ULS) Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for October 17, 2025, at the Lake Victoria Serena Hotel in Entebbe unlawful, citing that the current leadership under Isaac Ssemakadde operates under an outlawed and contested mandate.
The ruling follows an injunction application filed by Advocates Tumukunde Tonny and Nabijewa Martha, challenging the legitimacy of the Ssemakadde-led Radical New Bar (RNB) administration. The injunction effectively halts all ULS activities, including the Judicial Service Commission nominee election and the continuing legal education (CLE) sessions slated for the same weekend.
Ssemakadde Responds: “We Shall Not Be Silenced”
Reacting to the ruling, ULS President Isaac Ssemakadde expressed deep disappointment, describing the decision as “a continuation of judicial overreach and a direct attack on the Society’s independence and constitutional mandate.”
He emphasized that despite the setback, the ULS Council was exploring alternative lawful pathways to ensure members’ rights and obligations remain safeguarded.
“We shall consult our legal team on the appropriate remedies — including an appeal, application for stay of execution, or a reconstituted emergency session of members under Article 146 of the ULS Act,” Ssemakadde said.
“This Society belongs to its members, not to the courts, not to political forces.”Advertising
Indeed, Ssemakadde now in exile because of Ssekaana’s judgement against him, is bedeviled by hurdles after hurdles in his about to end tenure as ULS president.
Possible Next Steps for ULS
Legal sources within the Society indicate that the Council is considering four strategic options to navigate the current legal impasse:
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Filing an urgent appeal before the Court of Appeal seeking to stay the injunction.
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Applying to vary or set aside the injunction on grounds of procedural bias.
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Constituting a digital or hybrid consultative assembly of members to discuss continuity measures without contravening the court order.
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Seeking mediation or arbitration through an independent Bar Council panel to resolve internal disputes and restore operations.
The Radical New Bar (RNB) governing council has also hinted at calling for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), possibly virtual, to reaffirm the Society’s resolutions and maintain compliance with constitutional provisions.
Financial and Institutional Impact
The injunction poses serious financial implications, with over UGX 400 million already committed to hotels and service providers for the Entebbe AGM. Analysts warn that if not reversed, the decision could cripple ULS’s statutory duties, including the issuance of practicing certificates and administration of the mandatory 10 CLE points for its paid-up members.
Background
This development adds to a string of legal entanglements that have beset the ULS since early 2024, following disputes over the controversial Ssekaana Ruling of February 2025 and the removal of Civil Appeal 98 of 2025 from the Court of Appeal’s cause list by the Deputy Chief Justice.
The Radical New Bar faction maintains that these actions form part of a broader campaign to silence reformist voices within Uganda’s legal fraternity.
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