Court blocks ULS meeting on Judiciary independence

Justice Musa Ssekaana, the head of the High Court’s Civil Division has issued a temporary injunction restraining Uganda Law Society from calling, convening, and arranging an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the Judiciary’s independence. The meeting was scheduled to take place today, February 6.

This is after a member of the Uganda Law Society (ULS),  Mr Brian Kilima filed an application for judicial review of ULS’s action of issuing notices and calling its members for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss what he called “unlawful matters”.

The applicant says that the ULS governing council does not have the mandate to hold the said meeting. The lawyer explains that according to the ULS Act, it would be illegal if ULS acted outside its legal mandate.

In his ruling, Justice Ssekaana observed that Lawyer Kilima had proved a prima facie case that must be investigated to determine the legality of the proposed meeting by ULS.

“This application raises serious issues to be tried in the main cause and or a prima facie case. The court should always be willing to extend its hand to protect a citizen who is being wronged or whose rights are being violated or when there are illegalities which are about to be committed against the law,” Justice Sekaana ruled.

Justice Sekaana dismissed submissions from the ULS defence team advising the court to pick what would be illegal and allow the members to proceed on legal matters

Written by Ruth Anderah