Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde accused the Judiciary of delaying justice as he sought to challenge his two-year prison sentence for contempt of court.
In a letter dated October 13, 2025, addressed to the Acting Principal Judge, Ssemakadde complained about repeated delays in determining his application to suspend the sentence imposed by Justice Musa Ssekaana on February 14, 2025.
Ssemakadde said his application, filed on February 20, 2025, had been adjourned five times, including on September 15, 23 and 30, despite the court having scheduled dates to deliver its ruling.
He cited Articles 28(1) and 126(2)(b) of the Constitution, arguing that the delays undermined the right to a fair hearing and the principle that justice should not be delayed.
The ULS president also said his requests for the presiding judge to recuse herself and for an administrative stay of execution had been rejected, complicating his efforts to pursue an appeal before the Court of Appeal.
The dispute stemmed from disagreements within the Uganda Law Society following Ssemakadde’s election as president in September 2024. Lawyer Hashim Mugisha challenged some of the society’s decisions, leading to court proceedings that resulted in Ssemakadde’s conviction for contempt.
However, the High Court subsequently dismissed Ssemakadde’s application on October 16, 2025. Justice Joyce Kavuma ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to suspend the sentence after delivering its judgment.
The judge advised that an appeal was the appropriate legal remedy, rather than an application to stay the sentence before the same court.
