Uganda Law Society President Slams Museveni Over Letter Defending Military Tribunals for Civilians

Your Excellency, you are in contempt of court," the statement reads, adding that the President’s actions disregard Articles 99 and 128 of the Ugandan Constitution, which call for the promotion of respect for court orders.

The President of the Uganda Law Society Isaac Ssemakadde has accused the head of state of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of contempt of court, following his recent defence of the practice of trying civilians in military tribunals.

The legal community leader's statement, made in response to Museveni’s letter, warns that the President's actions undermine the rule of law and could have far-reaching consequences for Uganda’s judicial integrity.

The Uganda Law Society president, addressing Museveni's justification of military trials, highlighted that his stance disregards multiple decisions from Uganda's Constitutional Court and a prolonged appeal in the Supreme Court.

"Your Excellency, you are in contempt of court," the statement reads, adding that the President’s actions disregard Articles 99 and 128 of the Ugandan Constitution, which call for the promotion of respect for court orders.

In a scathing critique, the Law Society President also referenced the East African Court of Justice’s 2014 ruling, which echoed American jurist Louis Brandeis’ famous warning about government lawlessness: "If the Government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy."

The President's argument of “clogged courts” and the urgency of “speed” was dismissed as a transparent excuse to bypass due process and undermine judicial independence.

The letter also rebuked the President’s appeal to a potential referendum as an unconstitutional measure. The Uganda Law Society warned that such actions could lead to the swift nullification of any attempt to legitimise the use of military tribunals for civilians, drawing on past court rulings against unconstitutional laws.

Finally, the President of the Uganda Law Society attributed Museveni’s stance to poor advice from Uganda’s Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, urging the President to reconsider his position in light of the country’s legal framework and to respect the judicial processes meant to protect Uganda’s constitutional order.

The statement closed by offering the national bar association's legal guidance, as stipulated in the Uganda Law Society Act, Cap. 305.