Judiciary is in “crisis”, Ssemakadde tells lawyers

The Executive Director of Legal Brains Trust, Mr Isaac Ssemakadde has told lawyers that the Judiciary of Uganda is in a crisis, calling for a revolutionary approach to make a redress.

He made the remarks during Uganda Law Society (ULS) presidential debate at Makerere University where he faced off with Kenneth Kipaalu, his competitor in the race.

Mr Ssemakadde has pinned the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, for being the biggest threat to the rule of law and justice in the country.

“He is the wrong man for the wrong job. He singularly threatens the independence of the judiciary. He also threatens independence of the legal profession,” he said.

He added: “I have used the limelight of this moment to sue him for holding the office of protectorate attorney general instead of attorney general under article 119 of the 1995 constitution. I’m standing for the president of the law society to take a pulpit superior to him.”

Ssemakadde also vowed to radically advocate for abolition of the Law Development Centre (LDC) for denial of over 1500 graduate law students admission for a bar course. “LDC is an abattoir characterised by harassment and we need to go away with it.”

His mandates are lined on decolonization, demilitarization, democratization, and digital transformation to make reforms in the law sector for once and for all.

His opponent, Kipaalu, on the other hand, said he will contest for constitutional reforms through dialogue, mediation and discussions to resolve challenges in Uganda.

“The President and the legislature are voted by the people of Uganda but the Judiciary is never appointed and this is the root cause of all problems because they end up bending to the addicts of the people in power,” he said.

Three candidates were early this month nominated to contest the Uganda Law Society presidency, the winner will replace Mr Bernard Oundo on September 28.