Yesterday Monday, the president of the Uganda Law Society (ULS), Isaac Ssemakadde, found himself entangled in at least three legal battles across different courts. 

The cases ranged from legal disputes over his radical decisions as ULS president to accusations of contempt of court and insulting a public official, specifically the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Frances Abodo.

In one case, lawyers; Tony Tumukunde and Joshua Byamazima are challenging Executive Order No. 1, issued by Ssemakadde in October 2024, which expelled Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka and Solicitor General from the ULS Council.

The petitioners argue that the decision was made without due process and disrupts the lawful composition of the council as outlined in the ULS Act. They claim that maintaining the expulsion undermines the council’s legitimacy, potentially invalidating its decisions and exposing the ULS to lawsuits.

However, the hearing of the case before justice Esta Nambayo was postponed after her recent promotion to the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court. The deputy registrar for civil matters, Kintu Zirintusa, adjourned proceedings to March 17, 2025, pending the appointment of a new judge.

In another case, Ssemakadde is facing contempt of court proceedings before Justice Musa Ssekaana. The charges stem from an alleged disrespectful social media post following Ssekaana’s decision to block an Extraordinary Annual General Meeting of the ULS, which was set to elect representatives to the Judicial Service Commission.

The petitioner, lawyer Mugisha Hashim Mugisha, is seeking a Shs 300 million fine or imprisonment for Ssemakadde, arguing that his statements erode public trust in the judiciary. Since Ssemakadde neither appeared in court nor filed a defense, justice Ssekaana allowed the case to proceed ex parte (without the respondent) and set February 28, 2025, as the tentative ruling date.

The third legal battle unfolded at the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court, where chief magistrate Ronald Kayizzi is presiding over a case in which Ssemakadde is accused of “insulting the modesty of a woman” under Uganda’s Penal Code.

Lawyers Tumukunde and Byamazima allege that Ssemakadde made offensive remarks about DPP Jane Frances Abodo, referring to her as a “vagina from Karamoja” and a “pumpkin for a DPP.” The petitioners submitted a flash drive containing a video of the alleged statements as evidence.

The court is expected to rule on whether to issue a warrant of arrest against Ssemakadde. The ruling will be delivered electronically via the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS).

Despite the legal onslaught, Ssemakadde has defended his decision to expel the Attorney General and Solicitor General from the ULS Council, citing conflict of interest and professional misconduct.

According to Ssemakadde, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka is under investigation for alleged financial misconduct related to Shs 28.8 billion in land compensation, violations of constitutional law through his private legal practice while holding public office, imposing fees on digital access to Uganda’s laws, limiting public access to justice as well as condoning torture and supporting military trials of civilians, contradicting Uganda’s human rights commitments.

Meanwhile, lawyer Steven Kalali has petitioned the Constitutional Court to challenge the law on insulting the modesty of a woman, arguing that it is discriminatory as it only protects women and not men.