The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
“You come to someone’s house whom you have been abusing and you demand to speak….only a fool can allow you to speak. I personally told the program manager to remove you from the list of the people to talk”
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo Chigamoy has demanded an apology from the Uganda Law Society (ULS) leadership. He accuses the society’s leadership of abusing judicial officers including Justice Musa Ssekaana.
According to Owiny-Dollo, the abuses hurled against justice Musa Ssekaana by lawyers is the gravest thing that has ever happened during his tenure as Chief Justice.
Speaking at a function to mark New Law Year 2025, he said lawyers should have courage and apologize for their wrong doings to judicial officers so as to begin a new life .
Owiny-Dollo noted they can choose not to apologize to other individual judges but he demanded ULS must apologize to Justice Ssekaana.
“My appeal as an elder who became a lawyer well before many of you abusing us were born, search your individual souls. Have the courage to own up for wrongs committed. It is possible, easily possible, and we are willing that we begin on a new slate, a clean slate, but that comes along if you offer an apology,” he said.
” If you do not offer an apology to Owiny Dollo, that is okay, but please apologize to Justice Ssekaana because what you said about him, no body else can say unless that person deserves to be taken to Butabika for a mental examination.”
Owiny-Dollo warned that it was the last time he was speaking about the matter. He warned that the Judiciary could stake stiff measures including denying audience the Uganda Law Society-ULS.
He condemned what he described as a very dangerous trend in attacking instead of criticizing Judicial officers.
He said, the members of Uganda Law Society have named Judicial Officers all unthinkable abuses but the abusers are in the public domain.
The Chief Justice said , as the Judiciary, they took oath to render Justice without fear or favor that even when they insult them, they should never be intimidated and to decide without any affection or ill will against those who disagree with them.
Most unfortunately, Owiny-Dollo said the institution that should be protecting the Judiciary is the one that has been assaulting the Judicial officers.
He said a member of the ULS is responsible to the courts of the land the moment they are enrolled as advocates, they get status to work in courts of Judicature, and as such they represent justice seekers in court and help develop the country.
Speech of the Hon. Chief Justice Alfonse C Owiny-Dollo at the opening of the New Law Year https://t.co/NcV769GSYz pic.twitter.com/6QCgpssvPx
— Judiciary Uganda (@JudiciaryUG) February 7, 2025
Owiny-Dollo speaks tough
Chief Justice further stated that the leadership of ULS is the one taking the lead to drag Judicial officers to the mud , simply because of the decision that was made doesn’t favor them they protest, and when it’s favoring you, they are all over the places thinking it’s their decision.
On this , Owiny-Dollo said it’s the law that doesn’t favor you or favours you but not the Judge.
Owiny-Dollo acknowledged that he also makes wrong decisions but emphasized that when the decision is wrong, the law provides for options of appealing.
He said in the few months he is left with in the Judiciary, he would want to hear that the leadership of ULS and members understand and know the difference between criticism and abuse, constructive criticism and vulgar.
Owiny-Dollo speaking tough indicated that the Uganda Law Society-ULS if not given audience by the Judiciary they are the ones to lose and they will be out of business.
He still believes that there is a chance for them to reform and even Saul can become Paul , adding that he thinks ULS still has some reasonable members of society.
Owiny-Dollo said the ball is right now at their own goal post, they either take it or they allow it to go into their net .
According to Owiny-Dollo, he was Chief Justice as a member of ULS and was once an Executive Committee and asked them to check their records.
He noted that he has never heard anywhere in the World that anyone has been given a medal for abusing a person .
To this end, the Chief Justice said he will take action and emphasized that this is not a threat but he will take action and windows are still open , if they apologize, rule of law will prevail and they begin a new chapter.
He emphasized that they want constructive criticism and that the country doesn’t belong to anyone not even the President or Speaker but everyone.
He wondered where the lawyers will run to because they always need the Judiciary.
Rebels leaving the unveiling of the new law year after denying the president ULS @IsaacSsemakadde chance to air out his speech pic.twitter.com/0T846oN4Js
— counsel prosper (@agumenitwe35584) February 7, 2025
VIDEO: Listen to our #RadicalNewBar President @IsaacSsemakadde keenly.
📹 by @EnocKizito #BangTheTable #BackOnTrack #RNBVision2060 pic.twitter.com/UbBQTI3bIc
— Uganda Law Society (@ug_lawsociety) February 7, 2025
CJ: Ssemakadde will never speak at a judiciary function
Prior to making his Speech, the head of Uganda Law Society-ULS, Isaac Ssemakadde confronted the Chief Justice on the podium demanding an explanation as to why he was not on the list of guest speakers according to the program.
In response, Owiny-Dollo said he was not the one in charge of the program, but promised to address his concern in his speech.
While concluding, the Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo said Ssemakadde will never speak on any Judiciary Functions .
“You come to someone’s house whom you have been abusing and you demand to speak….only a fool can allow you to speak. I personally told the program manager to remove you from the list of the people to talk,” said Owiny-Dollo.
All this was happening as the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who was sent by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to represent him was watching and other top officials in the Judiciary and Government.
In response, while speaking to our reporter, Ssemakadde said the Bar doesn’t exist to soothe the Judiciary. He then led the team of lawyers that stormed out of the function.
He said the Judiciary cannot runaway from the realities of the country because courts exist not to be praised but to serve.
Ssemakadde noted that Ugandan citizens have for long been aggrieved by several inefficiencies like corruption in the Judiciary and selective Justice and they have too much anger . He said their concerns whether harsh or piercing to the Judiciary they must be welcomed.
Justice Ssekaana was on Wednesday elevated to the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The criticism against him began when he found lawyer Male Mabirizi for contempt of Court and ordered him to pay a fine of 300 million shillings before warning him from making abuses against Judicial Officers.
Ssekaana who later jailed Mabirizi for 18 months in prison after he had continuously abused him (Ssekaana) was later abused on social media by Ssemakadde in a language that was crafted full of vulgarity.
The anger by the Judiciary now dates way back in 2022 when these issues happened. Ssekaana again alleviated the situation when he blocked the Annual General Meeting of ULS twice in 2024 . He equally received terrible insults.
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