The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has issued a strongly worded rebuke against senior military officials following a wave of social media threats and extrajudicial warnings targeting defense lawyers representing individuals implicated in high-profile corruption investigations.
The growing controversy intensified after public warnings were allegedly directed at prominent city lawyer Caleb Alaka over his legal representation of Speaker of Parliament Anita Among.
Senior military officers are reported to have used online platforms to warn that private lawyers defending corruption suspects would “face consequences,” amid highly publicised pronouncements concerning the seizure and auction of luxury assets, including a Rolls-Royce.
In a sharply worded statement issued by ULS Vice President Asiimwe Anthony, the legal body described the threats as unconstitutional and a direct assault on the rule of law.
“The legal profession must never yield to intimidation or threats for defending constitutional rights and upholding access to justice. Uganda is governed by the Constitution and not by intimidation, fear, or personal threats issued through social media,” Asiimwe said.
The society stressed that Article 28 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to legal representation of their choice and warned against attempts to equate lawyers with the alleged actions of their clients.
The ULS further cited what it described as a worrying trend of state-sponsored harassment against legal practitioners. The society referenced the recent arrest and alleged brutalisation of Advocate Kakuru Tumusiime, who was reportedly charged with common nuisance after attempting to access clients at the Magere home of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi.
According to the lawyers’ body, Uganda is witnessing an increasing militarisation of public affairs, creating an atmosphere of fear marked by alleged abductions, interference with judicial processes, and intimidation of legal officers.
In an unusually direct warning, the ULS said senior commanders, including the Chief of Defence Forces, could face individual legal liability if they fail to restrain officers under their command.
“Senior military officers bear command responsibility under both Ugandan law and international law for unlawful acts committed by subordinates under their effective command and control. There is no immunity for such acts under Ugandan law or under international criminal law,” the statement read.
The society also called upon the Judiciary to expedite pending cases in which the Chief of Defence Forces has been sued personally.
The ULS noted that international legal standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and guidelines by the International Bar Association, protect advocates from intimidation or sanctions arising from the lawful execution of their professional duties.
The lawyers’ body further revealed that it has repeatedly sought dialogue with military leadership through bilateral engagements, debates, and memorial lectures hosted at ULS House since early 2025, but said those invitations had largely gone unanswered.
In a final challenge to the military establishment, the ULS invited army leadership to attend the upcoming Radical New Bar Live session scheduled for Thursday.
“Speak to us directly, not behind a keypad,” the society said, while urging advocates across the country to remain steadfast and faithful to their professional oath.
