The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has in an unprecedented move, broken its neutraility to officially endorse opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, for the 2026 presidential elections.
In a statement released on December 21, 2025, ULS President Isaac Ssemakadde said the deteriorating political and judicial conditions in the country left the legal body with no choice but to take a stand.
“The excessive militarisation of civilian and political life, entrenched corruption, and the capture of state institutions, including the judiciary, under the Museveni/NRM regime have reached a point where neutrality equates to complicity,” Ssemakadde said.
ULS also endorsed Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago for continued leadership of the Kampala Capital City Authority and Dr. Obuku Ekwaro Anthony for the Oyam South parliamentary seat, along with all candidates from the National Unity Platform (NUP) and People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
According to Ssemakadde, the endorsement is a response to the weaponization of security forces to suppress dissent and the judiciary’s manipulation, which he said has turned it into a tool for political repression rather than an independent pillar of justice.
“Lawyers, journalists, citizens, and activists are routinely intimidated, arrested, or disappeared for upholding constitutional rights. Silence in the face of this systemic assault would betray the core mandate of the Uganda Law Society,” he added.
Ssemakadde emphasized that the decision is effective immediately and will remain in force until the conclusion of the 2026 general elections, signaling the legal profession’s commitment to restore constitutional order and uphold the rule of law.
“This is the only viable path to dismantling authoritarian consolidation and rebuilding a new Uganda governed by justice and professional integrity,” he said.
