Buganda Road Court’s issuance of an Interpol warrant for the arrest of Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde marks an escalation in his battle with the judiciary and state authorities. What began as his unapologetic, iconoclastic approach to legal activism—embodied in what he calls the “Radical New Bar”—has now positioned him as a fugitive.
With a criminal charge of insulting the modesty of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo, a contempt of court sentence hanging over his head, and now an international arrest warrant, Ssemakadde is facing a crisis that could see him locked away in Luzira Prison unless he navigates his legal options carefully.
This latest move is part of a broader clash that has unfolded between Ssemakadde and the country’s legal establishment, a battle that began with his abrasive but compelling rhetoric. His rise to the presidency of the Uganda Law Society (ULS) on September 28, 2024, during the ULS Annual General Meeting held at Speke Resort Munyonyo was not the usual quiet ascension to a ceremonial role.
From the outset, he used the position to unsettle the status quo, issuing tongue-in-cheek "executive orders," including a symbolic declaration of the Attorney General and Solicitor General as persona non grata in the Law Council. He turned social media into a weapon, hurling relentless barbs at his predecessors and the legal establishment.
Ssemakadde, who assumed office on October 4, 2024, succeeding Bernard Oundo, had no patience with the latter and also turned his rugged fury on Phiona Wall, who led ULS before Oundo. He called them enough names to make an adult weep in public.
At first, the legal fraternity, long accustomed to formality, met his antics with both skepticism. Yet, Ssemakadde's legal prowess and fearless advocacy won him reluctant admiration, even from those he antagonised.
His cordial meeting with Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo over lunch months into his tenure suggested that, despite his abrasiveness, his influence was undeniable. But the tide turned sharply at the opening of the judiciary year, where the Chief Justice made it clear that the judiciary would no longer tolerate what he termed “vulgar, primitive assaults.” His remarks, cutting and direct, left no room for ambiguity:
"Someone abuses you, makes you feel stupid, and then comes to your house expecting business as usual," the CJ said.
"If the law doesn’t favour you, accept it. The leadership of the Uganda Law Society is trying to drag judicial officers through the mud."
Most strikingly, Owiny-Dollo confirmed that he personally barred Ssemakadde from speaking at the event, a symbolic show of authority that underlined the growing hostility. At the event, Ssemakadde led his Radical New Bar in walking out on the Judiciary in protest.
The tension between Ssemakadde and the judiciary soon translated into legal battles. The charge of "insulting the modesty of a woman," based on his remarks referring to DPP Abodo, ignited fierce debate. His words—calling her a “vagina from Karamoja” and “a pumpkin for a DPP”—sparked outrage among judicial officials and political figures alike. Private prosecutors Joshua Byamazima and Tonny Tumukunde seized the moment, filing a case that quickly gained traction.
The judiciary’s response was swift and severe. Justice Musa Ssekaana’s ruling sentencing Ssemakadde to two years in prison for contempt of court demonstrated a hardening stance. The judgment made clear that criticism had crossed into an unacceptable challenge to judicial authority. The ULS pushed back, condemning the ruling as "one-sided, irregular, and of no legal effect," but the weight of the judiciary remained firm.
Ssemakadde’s defiance has not wavered. Speaking from Kigali, where he attended the East African Court of Justice Judiciary Conference, he dismissed the ruling as a politically motivated "storm in a teacup." His insistence that the “Radical New Bar” will shape Uganda’s legal profession until 2060 underscores his belief that this is a broader struggle, not just a personal one.
Yet, the stakes are now higher than ever. The Interpol warrant shifts the dynamics significantly, transforming him from a courtroom combatant into a fugitive from justice. The warrant, if enforced, could see him extradited back to Uganda to face trial, an outcome that could land him in Luzira Prison before any appeal process takes shape.
His options are narrowing. If he remains abroad, he risks becoming a leader in exile, a position that may weaken his influence in Uganda's legal battles. If he returns, he faces immediate incarceration with uncertain prospects for bail. A potential avenue could be negotiation—a possibility hinted at by Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo’s offer to mediate an apology through Karamoja elders. However, given Ssemakadde’s history, an apology seems unlikely.
For now, the battle lines are drawn. Ssemakadde has proven himself a formidable legal strategist, but he has also antagonized some of the most powerful figures in Uganda’s judiciary. Whether he finds a legal loophole to evade arrest, mounts a successful appeal, or faces the full force of the law, this fight is far from over.
The Radical New Bar is on trial, and Ssemakadde’s fate will be a defining moment in Uganda’s legal and political landscape. Will the ULS president stay a fugitive and run his office by osmosis or find himself in Luzira Prison with his shaggy hair cut clean?