In A Sewer, There’s No Honor—I Would Choose a Thousand Isaac Ssemakadde's To Lead The National Bar Association.

Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde

I would choose a thousand Isaac Ssemakaddes to lead the National Bar Association over one so-called "decorum" president of the National Bar Association who turns out to be morally bankrupt in the end.

Earlier this week, Uganda’s legal fraternity awoke to shocking news: His Worship Kayizzi had ordered Interpol to arrest Ssemakadde and bring him before the Kampala-based court on April 16, 2025, to face charges without fail.

But this is not the only ordeal he faces. On Valentine’s Day, February 14, High Court Judge Musa Ssekaana ordered Ssemakadde’s arrest, sentencing him to two years in prison for alleged Twitter attacks.

The absurdity of this ruling was clear—the learned judge condemned the Uganda Law Society President without granting him a hearing, violating the fundamental principle of audi alteram partem: no one should be condemned unheard.

The Interpol application was spearheaded by two lawyers, Tumukunde Tonny and Byamazima Joshua. But what is the ultimate goal of this relentless pursuit? This private political prosecution turned persecution raises far more questions than answers.

If Tumukunde, the President of the Young Lawyers Network, and Byamazima, its patron, truly believe in the cause they once championed, then fostering a divided Law Society—one that overwhelmingly voted for Ssemakadde—would be a grave mistake.

As a recent LDC graduate, I once believed in their advocacy for young lawyers. But today, I find myself questioning their motives.

I have met Mr. Tumukunde. He is generous and passionate, and at least by the time I met him, he burned with an unshakable fire for the plight of young lawyers in Uganda.

I am not sure about this noble cause as it now appears tainted with selfish interests.

If there was ever a time to cease fire, it is now.  because in a "shit-throwing" fight there are no winners.

The Tonny's believe that they are restoring order or call it Decorum and there relentless pursuit is resolved even it means unseating the president of law society and they are doing this by prosecuting and politically persecuting the president of the Radical New Bar

But in all honesty even Isaac Ssemakadde has his flaws, just like those in the so-called decorum brigade. But as Desiderius Erasmus, the great Dutch philosopher, put it: "Every man has his follies; and the greatest is to be without any."

The persecution (or should I say prosecution) of a sitting President of the National Bar sets a dangerous precedent that reeks of impunity.

I agree with State Prosecutor Nabimanya Julius that

The Judiciary, which has long championed Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), should take the lead in finding a solution. There is a way forward—the two-year contempt of court sentence against Ssemakadde can and should be vacated.

Likewise, Eron Kiiza should not remain in prison. We are one people, dear Senior Colleagues and Members of the Bench. The legal profession cannot afford to become a laughing stock before the public

There is always a solution to every problem. But we must first set aside egos and choose dialogue over division.

A Lesson from History

In his work In Praise of Folly, Erasmus writes about the nature of human imperfection:"For the greatest part of mankind are fools… friendship is seldom made but among equals."

Yet, if friendship and unity are to endure, they must be built not on arrogance but on good faith and understanding.

This reminds me of the Greek legend of the "Naked Truth" and the "Lie," as retold by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1896):

One day, Truth and Lie met. Lie told Truth, "It’s a beautiful day!"Truth, suspicious but trusting, looked up and saw that the day was indeed lovely.

They walked together and arrived at a well. Lie then suggested, "The water is nice. Let’s bathe together!"Truth, again hesitant, tested the water and found it refreshing.

They undressed and entered the well. But suddenly, Lie jumped out, stole Truth’s clothes, and ran away.

When Truth emerged, naked and exposed, the world turned away in disgust. Ashamed, Truth returned to the well, hiding forever.

Since then, Lie has traveled the world, dressed as Truth, satisfying society—because people prefer the comforting illusion of lies over the discomfort of truth.

Justice must be blind, not deaf. The Judiciary must not turn away from the naked truth simply because it is inconvenient.

Now is the time to restore order, uphold fairness, and seek reconciliation. Because in a legal battle fueled by ego and vendetta, no one truly wins.

By

Waboga David