The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has issued a strong statement condemning the “cowardly attempts by certain individuals” using the institution’s name to sanction protest regarding the recent detention of one of their members, Eron Kiiza.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, 8, 2025, the ULS President Isaac Ssemakadde categorically renounced these attempts, stating that “these deliberate misrepresentations, particularly through social media and self-proclaimed press statements, appear designed to goad the Society into precipitous action outside our established institutional framework.”
He noted that ULS, as the statutory regulator of the legal profession in Uganda, operates through rigorous protocols and informed responses.
Ssemakadde warned that those attempting to present their private initiatives as ULS-endorsed activities or portray the organization as supporting personal agendas are doing a disservice to both the profession and the Society’s ongoing efforts.
ULS clarified that it currently provides legal aid to protesters strictly on an “after-the-fact basis” subject to resource availability and its members’ voluntary participation.
Additionally, while respecting the citizen’s constitutional right to peaceful assembly, the Society stated that it will not be pressured or manipulated into premature before-the-event commitments or other rash actions that could compromise its independence.
Ssemakadde emphasized the organization’s commitment to protecting its members and resolving the situation through Section 10 of the Uganda Law Society Act, Cap 305.
Ssemakadde added that ULS’s strong stance aims to distance the institution from any unauthorized attempts to use its name or influence in protest actions, underscoring the importance of following established protocols and procedures within the legal profession.
This development follows the general court martial’s decision sentencing lawyer Kiiza for contempt of court for a period of nine months at Kitalya prison.
