Portraits and Protest: What Ssemakadde’s Supporters Really Meant at Kabaka’s Birthday Run
To the untrained eye, it may have seemed like fanfare. But to keen political observers, it was a calculated and symbolic show of dissent, aimed directly at Justices Musa Ssekaana and Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, whose recent legal entanglements with Ssemakadde have ignited a national debate on judicial independence, free speech, and what some have labelled "judicial intolerance to criticism."
Uganda Today Edition: Portraits and Protest: What Ssemakadde’s Supporters Really Meant at Kabaka’s Birthday Run
By Uganda Today Newsroom
Kampala | April 6, 2025
As the early morning rains soaked the grounds of Lubiri Palace in Mengo, the annual Kabaka Birthday Run pressed on with unmatched energy. But nestled within the sea of red-clad runners was a small, striking pocket of participants carrying something beyond water bottles and energy drinks: portraits of embattled Uganda Law Society President, Isaac Ssemakadde.
These runners, determined and defiant, wove through the 5km, 10km and 21km routes hoisting the unmistakable image of the maverick lawyer—a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed.
To the untrained eye, it may have seemed like fanfare. But to keen political observers, it was a calculated and symbolic show of dissent, aimed directly at Justices Musa Ssekaana and Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, whose recent legal entanglements with Ssemakadde have ignited a national debate on judicial independence, free speech, and what some have labelled “judicial intolerance to criticism.”
A Legal Drama Turned Political Flashpoint
At the heart of this quiet protest lies a court saga with serious undertones. Justice Ssekaana, citing contemptuous remarks made by Ssemakadde, sentenced him to two years in prison for contempt of court. The Uganda Law Society head, however, never entered a formal defence in court. Instead, he appealed—and promptly left the country.
His absence did not slow the wheels of justice. The court issued an arrest warrant, later internationalised through Interpol, now casting a global shadow over the lawyer’s movements.
The very issuance of the warrant while Ssemakadde was abroad, and the aggressive pursuit through Interpol, has led many to question whether the judiciary is treading dangerously close to political overreach.
Protest on the Move
By turning up at the Kabaka’s Birthday Run with portraits of their embattled icon, Ssemakadde’s supporters managed to reframe a royal celebration as a platform for subtle civic protest—one that did not defy the kingdom’s dignity, but still sent a firm message.
“This was not rebellion,” noted one political analyst who attended the run. “This was strategic symbolism. They chose the biggest one-day event in Uganda, under the watchful eye of cameras and the monarchy, to deliver a message to the powers that be—without a single word.”
Observers also note the location’s importance. The Kabaka’s Palace, the heartbeat of Buganda, has historically symbolised justice, resistance, and people power—from pre-colonial times to post-independence struggles. To appear here with Ssemakadde’s image was to link his legal persecution to a larger historical arc of resistance.
Justice or Intimidation?
The reactions from legal circles remain divided. Some members of the bench have defended the sentence, citing the need to uphold the dignity of the judiciary. Others, however, worry that the punishment is disproportionate, especially in a democratic context where freedom of expression—even when harsh—should be protected.
Critics argue that Uganda’s courts risk appearing vengeful and personal, especially when judges become complainants, prosecutors, and sentencers in their own cases.
“Judges should never descend into the arena,” a senior retired judge told Uganda Today. “When they do, they risk turning courtrooms into theatres of personal vindication.”
The Politics of Law in Uganda
The entire saga touches on deeper national questions: Can institutions withstand scrutiny? Where is the line between criticism and contempt? And is the Ugandan judiciary becoming overly sensitive to public accountability?
For now, Ssemakadde remains a fugitive by law but a symbol of defiance in the court of public opinion.
And as the Kabaka’s Birthday Run showed—rain, arrest warrants, and threats of prison aren’t enough to silence those who still believe in the power of the word, the law, and symbolic resistance.
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