KAMPALA, Uganda — Marking one year in exile, Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde has escalated his campaign for judicial reform by issuing a directive designating Chief Justice Flavian Zeija a global judicial pariah.
The move, released under the Radical New Bar reform agenda, seeks to isolate the head of the judiciary both locally and internationally. Ssemakadde, a high-profile activist and legal figure, contends that the judiciary has succumbed to executive capture and no longer serves as an independent check on state power.
The executive order outlines several measures designed to undermine Zeija’s leadership and scrutinize the integrity of the courts. Central to the plan is a policy of zero engagement, urging lawyers and civil society actors to boycott ceremonial events, consultative forums, and non-mandatory engagements led by the Chief Justice’s office.
Ssemakadde argues that Zeija’s appointment was the result of a non-transparent and rushed process that lacked public participation and clear shortlisting criteria. These claims mirror earlier warnings from the Uganda Law Society regarding potential political interference in the nation’s top judicial appointments.
To ensure accountability, the order proposes the establishment of a public record to document judicial conduct and a whistleblower program. This initiative would allow legal insiders to securely submit evidence of alleged misconduct or interference, which could then be used to trigger formal complaints before international oversight bodies.
The directive lists several institutions to be petitioned for intervention, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Bar Association, and the International Commission of Jurists. It also identifies the East African Court of Justice as a venue for legal challenges against the current judicial leadership.
Ssemakadde, known for his confrontational approach to authority, has previously clashed with senior officials, including former Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo and High Court Judge Musa Ssekaana. While his supporters view his activism as a necessary defense of the rule of law, critics have often described his tactics as a departure from professional decorum.
