The Buganda Road Court has ordered the arrest of Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde.
On Monday, 24th February, 2025, the Chief Magistrate, Ronald Kayizzi, issued a warrant for arrest after Ssemakadde failed to appear before the court over a case he was sued for allegedly insulting the modesty of the DPP, Lady Justice Abodo.
The case was filed by private lawyers Joshua Byamazima and Tonny Tumukunde in a private complaint prosecution.
Ssemakadde’s trouble stemmed from a statement he uttered on November 18th, 2024, while at the Peoples Front for Freedom offices at Katonga Road, where he referred to Lady Justice Abodo as “a vagina from Karamoja, a dead wood, a dimwit, and a shameless careerist.”
The warrant of arrest follows his second failure to appear before the court to take a plea today, 24th February, having failed to appear on January 29th, 2025.
Ssemakadde, who is believed to be in Kigali, Rwanda, recently dismissed the ruling by High Court Judge Musa Ssekaana as a “storm in a teacup,” asserting that due process will ultimately vindicate him.
The ruling stemmed from a case of defamation filed by the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka against Ssemakadde, alleging that the ULS President had falsely labeled him as “incompetent, unjust, corrupt, and a criminal,” damaging his professional standing.
Ssemakadde has, in turn, accused Kiwanuka of misconduct, arguing that his tenure threatens the integrity of Uganda’s legal system.
