KAMPALA UGANDA: 05 JULY 2026— The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has strongly condemned public comments made by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni regarding the ongoing trial of opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, calling them a “clear sub judice contempt of court” and an executive assault on the independence of the judiciary.
In a press release issued under the “Radical New Bar” banner, ULS President Isaac K. Ssemakadde demanded that the head of state immediately halt all commentary on active court cases and drop his renewed push to abolish the right to bail. The comments were part of the presidential address delivered on Saturday.
”An Unconstitutional Assault”
The lawyers’ body took sharp aim at President Museveni’s public remarks, arguing that speculating on the merits of Dr. Besigye’s case prejudices the accused’s right to a fair trial. The ULS also noted that the President’s comments complicate an ongoing stay of proceedings linked to separate contempt allegations involving the President’s son.
Furthermore, the ULS categorized the executive’s persistent threats to eliminate bail as a direct violation of Articles 23 and 28(3)(a) of the 1995 Ugandan Constitution, which guarantee personal liberty and the presumption of innocence.
”Bail is a judicial function, not subject to executive directive,” the statement reads, warning that a blanket ban on bail will “punish the innocent and shield systemic failures from scrutiny” rather than protect witnesses.
The ULS noted that removing bail violates international human rights standards, including the United Nations Tokyo Rules, the African Commission’s Luanda Guidelines, and the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, all of which state that pre-trial detention must remain an exceptional measure of last resort.
Key Demands Issued by the Law Society
The Uganda Law Society issued three direct ultimatums to the government and the judicial branch:
To President Museveni: Immediately cease all public commentary on active court cases, including the trial of Dr. Besigye, and stop trying to dictate judicial outcomes.
To the Judiciary: The Chief Justice, Judiciary Top Management, and judicial associations must publicly and unequivocally denounce executive interference. The ULS pointed to Magistrate Sheilla Gloria Atim’s principled stand in the recent Uganda v. Miria Matembe case as the standard the judiciary must uphold.
To the Government: Stop undermining fundamental rights and instead address the “real crisis” in the justice system, which the ULS identified as systemic judicial decay, political persecution, corruption, weak witness protection, and military interference.
The statement concludes with a firm pledge from ULS President Ssemakadde that the bar association remains resolute in its defense of the rule of law, constitutionalism, and judicial autonomy in Uganda.
