CROSSFIRE: Phillip Munaabi’s Accusations against Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde – and the Legal Rebel’s Response Verbatim

In just two days, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) top leaders Isaac Ssemakadde Kimaze and Secretary General Phillip Munaabi suspended each other from the ULS Council, deepening faultlines within the organization that brings together lawyers in the country.

While there had been disagreements between Munaabi and Ssemakadde, the former’s demand that the latter apologizes over his comments against Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo that have been termed ‘vulgar.’

In a notice dated November 23, Munaabi announced he had expelled Ssemakadde, detailing accusations against the legal rebel and his deputy in the so-called Uganda Law Society Council Order No. 001 of 2024 as follows:

WHEREAS the Uganda Law Society (ULS) as the guardian of the legal profession and a champion of the rule of law holds sacred the principles of justice, fairness and accountability;

WHEREAS the ULS as an organization has existed for several years and has over this period built a solid reputation as the foremost mule of law voice in Uganda:

WHEREAS. the ULS is deeply concerned by the recent events in which the President of the Uganda Law Society has used vulgar language against various state actors and his actions have continued to alienate the Society from various stakeholders;

WHEREAS, these actions by the President have undermined the credibility of the Uganda Law Society and the legal profession in this country and have greatly affected the ULS donors. sponsors and stakeholder relations:

WHEREAS, despite persistent calls from a number of various Organizations to wit:

the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) Coalition of Uganda composed of FIDA-Uganda, the International association of Women Judges. UGANET. Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention, the Young Lawyers Network of the Uganda Law Society. The Uganda Prosecutors Association, the Female Lawyers Committee of the Uganda Law Society. the Female Lawyers Network, Past President’s Forum, Karamoja Women’s Association, Karamoja Parliamentary Forum for and individual members of the society for the President of the ULS to apologize and restore public confidence in the society:

NOW THEREFORE in order to restore public trust and confidence in Uganda Law Society and the Legal profession in Uganda we resolve as follows:

1. a) Expel the President of the Uganda Law Society, Mr. Ssemakadde Isaac Kimeze from the Council of the Uganda Law Society to safeguard the reputation of the Uganda Law Society and save it from further denigration,
2. b) Realizing also that the President and Vice President have over this period without Council resolution and knowledge conspired to have the Vice President illegally handle online Bank Approvalsfor ULS finances knowing that he is not a mandated signatory and the spreading allegations of witch-hunt against ULS Staff creating a management crisis at ULS, the Vice President Mr. Asiimwe Anthony is also by this Order expelled from Council.
3. c) An Internal Caretaker Committee is by this Order Constituted, which will be led by the Secretary, Mr. Phillip MUNAABI and the other Council members with the objective of leading the society during this time.
4. d) The expelled persons, their aides, agents and the twins are exempted from accessing ULS premises, ULS emails and any ULS property henceforth. Any attempt at that shall attract criminal charges against them;
5. e) To share a status report of the activities of Council since September 2024 which is hereto attached.
6. f) The ULS Staff will continue to serve as expected.
7. g) This Council Order shall take effect immediately upon issuance.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated this 23^rd Day of November 2024.

Phillip Munaabi, Secretary, Uganda Law Society

A day later, Ssemakadde and other ULS council members issued a statement of condemnation regarding the unauthorized actions of Secretary Phillip Munaabi and Council Member (Central) Geofrey Turyamusiima. The statement read as follows:

By order of Council passed in an urgent electronic meeting held this 24th day of November 2024 and attended by the majority of Council comprised of Isaac Ssemakadde (President), Asiimwe Anthony (Vice President), Isiko Aurthur (Treasurer), Eddie Nangulu (Council Member- Eastern), Muhumuza Samuel (Council Member-Western) and Egaru Emmanuel (Council Member-Northern), the Uganda Law Society (ULS) membership is hereby notified as follows:

1. The Council has become aware of an unauthorized 2-page document dated 23^rd November 2024, purportedly signed by Phillip Munaabi as Secretary-ULS, titled “Council Order No. 1 of 2024 Expulsion of the President and Vice President from the Uganda Law Society Council.” The Council categorically states that:

(a) This document is not an official record of the ULS Council;

(b)The Council has neither considered nor passed any of the seven (7) resolutions contained therein; and

(c)The document has been confirmed as the unauthorized work of two Council members: Phillip Munaabi and Geofrey Turyamusiima (hereinafter referred to as “the minority’ ).

2. Similarly, the Council denounces a 4-page document dated 22nd November 2024, also purportedly signed by Phillip Munaabi as Secretary-ULS, titled “STATE OF AFFAIRS IN UGANDA LAW SOCIETY (ULS).”
3. For absolute clarity and avoidance of doubt, the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Council Members representing the Northern, Western, and Eastern regions (constituting the majority of Council) hereby categorically repudiate the above-mentioned documents, confirming they were neither consulted nor involved in their creation or dissemination.
4. The Council majority further notes with grave concern the following pattern of subversive conduct by the minority:
5. Persistent Violations of Council Trust: – Unauthorized disclosure of confidential Council information to third parties – Fraudulent use of a Council member’s signature on unauthorized documents – Willful disregard of Presidential directives – Strategic absenteeism from crucial Council meetings to obstruct Society business
6. Intimidation of ULS Staff: – Issuing threats regarding access to ULS property, information, and funds – Threatening administrative sanctions including forced removal by police – Making claims of support from Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka Nsumikambi Mugambe
7. Undermining Institutional integrity: – Fabrication and circulation of false Council records – Deliberate attempts to portray the Society as dysfunctional and leaderless

WHEREFORE, by majority decision, the Council hereby orders that:

1. Phillip Munaabi (Secretary-ULS) and Geofrey Turyamusiima (Council Member – Central Region) are suspended from the ULS Council with immediate effect, pending determination of their removal from office at the general meeting scheduled for 17th December 2024.
2. Eddie Nangulu is appointed as interim Secretary pending the decision of the general meeting.
3. The following matters shall be addressed at the general meeting of 17th December 2024:

– Determination of removal from office of the suspended members of Council

– Election of ULS nominees to the Judicial Service Commission

– Review of previously deferred books of accounts

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Issued electronically this 24th day of November 2024.

It should be remembered that when Isaac Ssemakadde was elected ULS president, he sent a tough message to the his predecessor and put other powerful people on notice. But some lawyers warned that Ssemakadde would dump the Uganda Law Society in River Nile, as reported Here and There.

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