High court judge Musa Ssekaana has ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Uganda Law Society (ULS) president Isaac Ssemakadde for two years after finding him guilty of contempt of court.
Ssemakadde’s sentencing stems from his social media statements and letters criticizing Ssekaana’s decision to block an Extraordinary Annual General Meeting of ULS, where new representatives to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) were to be elected.
Ssekaana had ruled that the incumbents, Norah Matovu Winyi and Ruth Sebatindira, were holding office illegally. With this ruling, Ssemakadde becomes the second lawyer to be imprisoned by Ssekaana, following the 2022 jailing of lawyer Male Mabirizi for 18 months over contempt of court. The ruling comes just days after Ssekaana’s promotion to the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court.
Ssekaana’s decision followed an application by lawyer Hashim Mugisha Mugisha, who argued that Ssemakadde’s public comments amounted to a deliberate attack on judicial independence.
Ssekaana said the threat to judicial independence, through personal attacks on judicial officers and the spread of disinformation about court decisions, especially on social media, must be checked. He further stated that Ssemakadde’s posts encouraged the public to escalate threats against judicial officers, including sharing their phone numbers and residential addresses, thereby endangering their security.
“Threatening statements like what the respondent/Ssemakadde tweeted are extremely inappropriate and they are dangerous to the rule of law and ought to be punished. The statements of the respondent have emboldened other members of the public who are now extending threats of sharing judicial officers’ telephone contacts and or residential addresses which poses a security risk,” he said.
Ssekaana described Ssemakadde’s criticism as a “scurrilous attack” meant to discredit him after he ruled against Ssemakadde in Miscellaneous Application No. 1243 of 2024. He emphasized that such attacks undermine the judiciary’s dignity and authority and must not be tolerated.
Mugisha’s lawyers informed the court that after Ssekaana blocked the ULS Extraordinary Annual General Meeting, Ssemakadde used his X (formerly Twitter) account to publish statements deemed disrespectful and prejudicial against the judge.
“The writings published by the respondent are calculated to scandalize and or lower the authority of court, prejudice or interfere with the due course of judicial proceedings in Miscellaneous Cause No. 263 of 2024 and to lower the authority of the trial judge,” the application read.
Mugisha requested the court to either jail Ssemakadde or impose a Shs 300 million fine, arguing that his defiance eroded public trust in the courts.
Since Ssemakadde neither responded to the application nor appeared in court, Ssekaana allowed the case to proceed ex-parte (in his absence). The judge set February 28 as the date for his final ruling.
Background of Ssekaana and Ssemakadde’s feud
The animosity between Ssekaana and Ssemakadde dates back to 2022 when the judge fined lawyer Male Mabirizi Shs 300 million for contempt of court before sentencing him to 18 months in prison.
Following that ruling, Ssemakadde used his X account to harshly criticize Ssekaana in a post laced with vulgarity, even making a derogatory remark about the judge’s genitalia—an insult that reportedly angered Ssekaana to this day.
Recently, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo warned that the judiciary would retaliate unless Ssemakadde issued an apology. However, lawyer Yasin Ssentumbwe has since challenged Owiny-Dollo’s remarks in the Constitutional Court, arguing that they amount to bias, interference, and a violation of judicial independence.
Sekaana’s judgement is nonsensical. Contempt of court to be criminal should involve the contemnor (Semakadde) actively interfering in a court processing, for example heckling in court, shouting at judicial officers in the court, etc.
Civil contempt involves disregarding court orders. [ Outside court ]
1. What court orders has Semakadde defied?
2.When were they issued? By what court?
3. If they exist, where was Semakadde when he defied them?
a) Was he in court? If so he would attract Criminal Contempt of Court
b) If he was outside court, this would attract civil contempt.
None of these apply.
Justice Sekaana is free to sue Semakadde for defamation or libel. This is a civil matter.
He is misapplying a tool of the court , (Contempt of Court) to settle scores with Semakadde. Making it criminal yet the issue is civil.
The Supreme court has already pronounced itself on the jurisprudence of contempt of court.
Please Refer to:
Betty Kizito vs Dickson Nsubuga & 6 others (Civil Application Nos.25 & 26 of 2021 arising from Civil Appeal No.8 of 2018).
Clear distinction was made between criminal and civil contempt of court. It would be a travesty of Justice for Semakadde to be jailed for 2 years.
The court cannot in one sitting charge Semakadde for criminal contempt in absentia. That is is stupid. The court should show us what orders it made that Semakadde had prior to this ruling defied within the court premises to warrant criminal contempt and therefore attract a 2 year custody.
The notion that Semakadde has brought disrepute to Justice Sekaana is laughable. Sekaana is his own worst enemy. Justice Sekaana and members of the bench, that continue issuing nonsensical rulings , will only continue to attract the wrath of right thinking members of society.
Recently, we had a shallow poster here praising Ssekaana for judgement. Personally, I wondered if the poster was Ssekaana himself. He’s known by everyone, who matters, to have despicable “judgements” written for him by other lawyers, especially a crime infested, land grabbing, 3rd rate, pretend-lawyer called Musa Kabega who is said to have been his roommate at university. The same Musa Kabega is the criminal-mind behind a widely reported criminal/murderer called Kyagaba Charles who continues to rob hundreds of victims.
If you look at this case, there’s no credible forensic evidence that proves Ssemakadde’s guilt. And yet, even if he uttered as much, no person or institution must elevate itself beyond the realm of reproach or criticism. Ssekaana simply makes some generalizing nonsensical political statements and “convicts”.
Unfortunately, a thug such as Ssekaana who should be numbered among the very criminals that he’s said to protect was instead recently promoted. It’s said he’s angling for the position of Chief Justice. But one wonders what a society Africa is if tin foils in the mold of Ssekaana are elevated to adjudicate over any judicial matter.
Lastly, broken as the judiciary is, do you realize that all the other judicial officers exercised lenience and deference when it came to cases to do with criticism of the judiciary? But that was until the cases got to shameless Ssekaana. He arrested Mabirizi when all hesitated. He’s now arrested Ssemakadde when even the DPP refused to bring charges. And in between, the same Ssekaana is known to tell upstanding lawyers that he doesn’t favor to “be sure you’ll lose this case that’s before me”.
Fellow Ugandans, the sentencing of Semakadde put together with all other injustices against opposition leaders, activists and civilians clearly demonstrates a lawless Uganda. For example, there’re so many Ugandans who’re unlawfully detained and others missing with impunity. However, it’s business as usual. The other day Besigye was brought to the magistrate court by a production warrant by the court, yet he was granted bail by the same court. The prosecution applied for Besigye’s production by the prison authority/govt which is holding him illegally. On February 13, 2025, Lukwago and other lawyers who’re representing Besigye made an urgent application for his immediate release based on the human rights laws and/or Besigye’s health threatening condition under which he is in, but in vain. The magistrate, Ms. Nankya, postponed the ruling on that urgent application for a week, yet Besigye’s life is in danger. That’s exactly what has happened to others like Sejirinya, Jakana Naduri and others who have died due to unjustified detentions by the govt.
Now, Semakadde has been unjustifiably sentenced for 2 years by the complainant, justice Sekana! He, Sekana, is the complainant, judge, jury and sentencing judge! Where is justice? That’s after the chief of hardcore organized criminals, Owiny Dollo, issued a threat that if Semakadde doesn’t apologize, he’ll face consequences. Dollo made it certain that it wasn’t a threat but a reality.
Gen. Muhoozi M7 also stated that Besigye shall leave Luzira in a coffin!
Fellow Ugandans, that is the reality we’re in, a nation which is lawless and under a militant rule for 40 decades, and still counting, with no end in sight. All cutesy of our current leading opposition figure, Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, who stated that, there’s democracy in Uganda and he is hell bent and/or determined to show us that it works.
That’s why it’s business as usual. Kyagulanyi/NUP are busy enjoying their democracy and adamant to engage in bogus and meaningless elections to replace Sejirinya’s empty seat in parliament as if that will bring the change that we need and deserve.
Let us see if Injustice Sekaana will also sentence President Museveni and his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba for speaking out against and threatening the Chief Justice and his team for their ruling on why civilians cannot be tried in a military court.
Sekaana is abusing the judicial process in Uganda. He should be the one going to jail.
Do not fret because when the right time comes and the county is back to normal all these people will be answerable for their actions even if they ran away in exile. You see they have short memories and they think of only today thinking the status quo is for ever till they rest in peace. That is the beauty of it.
All this drama for what? PEOPLE? Respect someone in his/her office.TAKE alook hon Segirinya died and uganda doesnt change,All of us will go..
Being ULS President needs someone who hears also,What is the difference between Ssemakade and Gen Muhoozi?? Lawyers should know their boundries and defend not running to X and pour their polical differences.