It a turn of events in which the hunter has become the hunted, the Uganda Law Society Council has announced the expulsion of their president, Isaac Ssemakadde.
In an order issued on Saturday afternoon, the secretary of the Uganda Law Society , Philip Munaabi said in the face of several misdeeds by Ssemakadde, they have decided to suspend him until further notice.
“Therefore, in order to restore public trust and confidence in Uganda Law Society and the legal profession in Uganda we resolve to expel the president of the Uganda Law Society, Mr. Ssemakadde Isaac Kimeze from the council of the Uganda Law Society to safeguard the reputation of the Uganda Law Society and save it from further denigration,” Munaabi said.
The misdeeds
According to Munaabi, whereas the Uganda Law Society has for many years built a solider reputation as the foremost rule of law voice in the country, this seems to be changing.
“ULS is deeply concerned by the recent events in which the president of the Uganda Law Society has used vulgar language against various state actors and his actions have continued to alienate the Society from various stakeholders,” Munaabi said.
He noted that Ssemakadde’s actions have undermined the the credibility of the Uganda Law Society and the legal profession in this country and have greatly affected the ULS donors, sponsors and stakeholder relations.
The law society secretary says despite persistent calls from a number of organisations including office of the DPP, FIDA Uganda, International Association of Women Judges, UGANET, among others to apologise over his recent utterances deemed to be personal attacks against the Director of Public Prosecutions, Lady Justice Jane Abodo, Ssemakadde has not heeded to the call.
The law society council says having realized that Ssemakadde and his vice president have over this period without Council resolution and knowledge conspired to have the Vice President “illegally handle online bank approvals for ULS finances knowing that he is not a mandated signatory” and the spreading allegations of witch-hunt against ULS staff creating a management crisis at ULS, the vice president Anthony Asiimwe is also expelled from the council.
“An internal caretaker committee is by this order constituted, which will be led by the secretary, Mr. Phillip Munaabi and the other council members with the objective of leading the society during this time,” the order reads in part.
The order says the expelled persons, their aides, agents and twins are exempted from accessing Uganda Law Society premises, emails and any lawyers’ body property.
“Any attempt at that shall attract criminal charges against them.”
The law society council earlier this week denounced Ssemakadde over his utterances towards the DPP that they termed as being vulgar.
Law Society council disowns president Ssemakadde over “vulgar” words
