By AGGREY BULUBA
The principle that “no one is above the law” was put to the test on Monday, February 24, as the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court issued an arrest warrant for Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac Ssemakadde.
Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi ordered Ssemakadde’s arrest after he failed to appear in court for the third time. He faces charges of using offensive language against the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Frances Abodo.
Ssemakadde, who was recently in Kigali for official work, was first summoned to court on January 29, 2025. His legal team initially cited health reasons and a pending High Court ruling as reasons for his absence. The court granted an extension to February 24, 2025, but Ssemakadde again failed to appear, with his lawyers arguing that their client was not required to attend in person due to a pending High Court application to halt the case.
Magistrate Kayizzi dismissed this argument, stating that no formal court order had been issued to suspend proceedings. Citing Section 55(1) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act, he ruled that Ssemakadde had no valid excuse for missing court and issued a warrant for his arrest, requiring police to present him in court by March 19, 2025.
The case was brought by city lawyers Joshua Byamazima and Tonny Tumukunde, who accuse Ssemakadde of making derogatory remarks about Justice Abodo. According to the charge sheet, he allegedly referred to her using offensive and degrading language at a November 18, 2024, retreat hosted by the People’s Front for Freedom in Katonga Village, Kampala.
This is not the first time Ssemakadde has faced legal trouble. On February 14, 2025, High Court Judge Musa Ssekaana sentenced him to two years in prison for contempt of court and issued a separate arrest warrant.
His ongoing legal battles have sparked debate among legal experts and human rights activists, with some viewing them as an attack on freedom of speech, while others see them as a test of judicial authority and professional conduct.
As of now, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) has not issued a statement regarding its president’s legal troubles.
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