KAMPALA, Uganda | Isaac Ssemakadde, the president of the Law Society (ULS), has petitioned High Court Justice Joyce Kavuma to step aside from a case in which he is contesting the two-year jail sentence that Justice Musa Ssekaana gave him, forcing him into exile for more than six months.

Concerns were raised by Ssemakadde regarding what he described as “an inordinate delay” in considering his request to have a warrant for his arrest and committal stayed from going into effect. The application, which was submitted on February 20, 2025, with registration number HCMA No. 137 of 2025, has not yet been evaluated.

“I respectfully request that you rescue yourself from my liberty-preserving application due to concerns about your impartiality arising from the inordinate delay of nearly four months. which you disregarded yesterday when adjourning to 19 August 2025. In essence, you have condemned me to forced exile of more than six months.” Ssemakade said in a letter dated 13th June 2025.

Ssemakadde claimed that the repeated delays amounted to constructive exile and a violation of his fundamental rights after Justice Joyce Kavuma, the head of the High Court’s civil division, most recently postponed the case until August 19.

Ssemakadde claims that the delays have denied him access to justice and jeopardized his constitutional obligations as president of the bar, citing Articles 28(1), 31(4), 38, and 126(2)(b) of the Constitution.

Additionally, he cited the 2022 ruling in Galandi v. Attorney General (Constitutional Petition No. 4 of 2021) by the Constitutional Court, which determined that judicial delay is an infringement on natural justice. In accordance with the Constitution (Recusal of Judicial Officers) (Practice) Directions, 2019, Ssemakadde asked that Kavuma resign and that the case be immediately transferred to a different judge, preferably prior to the legal system’s yearly break starting on July 15, 2025.

“Irreparable harm has already been caused to my livelihood, reputation, family life, and one-year term of office as president of the Uganda Law Society (ULS) because of judicial inertia delaying my return,” Ssemakadde added.

He further wrote that “I have missed crucial business opportunities, funerals of loved ones, and significant family events, including my daughter’s birth and my son’s high school commencement.”

My participation in the Uganda Law Students Association, the Law Council, the Judiciary Council, the Law Reform Committee, the Court Bailiffs Licensing & Disciplinary Committee, the Uganda Law Students Association, the FIA’s DNFBP supervisory bodies forum, and other organizations has significantly decreased.

In addition to being received by M/s KBW Advocates and M/s Neal Advocates, the letter was copied to the acting principal judge. The recusal request has not yet received a response from Justice Kavuma.

Ssemakadde was sentenced to two years in prison for contempt by Justice Musa Ssekaana in February 2025. A separate arrest warrant was issued against him in a case involving insulting a woman’s modesty by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court, which was presided over by Ronald Kayizzi.

He allegedly insulted Jane Frances Abodo, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), during a public speech at the Katonga People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) offices.