The Uganda Law Society (ULS) council has recalled two of its members who represented them at the Judicial Service Commission, citing irregularities in the manner in which they were appointed.

The ULS President, Mr. Isaac Ssemakadde, said that Ms. Ruth Sabatindira and Ms. Norah Matovu Winyi were not elected by the council to represent the ULS on the Judicial Service Commission, in accordance with the ULS Act of 1956 (Cap305) as well as the 2016 electoral regulations.

“The Judicial Service Commission is the most important constitutional body capable of setting the tone for judicial reform. So we can deal with individual cases, fix this and fix that, but if we don’t start from the top, we will be failing in our duties as leaders of the National Bar Association,” Mr Ssemakadde said.

He added: “I will insist on clear and transparent procedures for pre-screening, participatory selection and appointment, including rigorous public oversight and strong accountability mechanisms. »

While issuing the decree on October 29 in Kampala, he noted that the two men have represented the ULS on the Judicial Service Commission since 2016.

Although the Judicial Service Commissioners are appointed by President Mr Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Mr Ssemakadde said the ULS does not know who recommended the appointment of their two representatives.

Mr. Ssemakadde explained that in the case of Steven Kalali v Uganda Law Society, the Kampala High Court on February 2, 2024 delivered a judgment stating that the current practice of appointing ULS representatives to statutory bodies without holding due diligence The election was a breach of the ULS Act 1956 (Cap305) as well as the Electoral Regulations 2016.

He said that following the February judgment, all persons appointed as ULS representatives to the Judicial Service Commission and other statutory bodies without having been elected in accordance with the provisions of the ULS electoral regulations of 2016 have all been revoked.

Mr. Ssemakadde revealed that by the end of this year, the council will convene an extraordinary general meeting to elect ULS representatives to the Judicial Service Commission and all other statutory bodies, except representatives of the duly elected Legal Council.

“What we can tell you is that we have, through the decision taken today, recalled them and that in itself requires them to cease all activity. And all the old cases they handled are now up for review,” Mr Ssemakadde said.

The Council also informed the President of the selection criteria it is using to choose two members of the public who are not lawyers to serve on the Judicial Service Commission.

“How does the president select them? As far as we know, he has appointed people who are not fit for the job and not up to the task,” Mr Ssemakadde said.

Almost a month ago, Ssemakadde expelled the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, from the Law Society of Uganda.

When contacted, Ms Rose Nassali Lukwago, Permanent Secretary of the Judicial Service Commission, said she had not received any official communication.

However, she said the commissioners are appointed by the president and it is up to him to disappoint them.

“I only hear this in rumors, because I have not seen the document. I didn’t receive it because if they remember, they should write to the secretary,” she said.

She added: “But also their letter of appointment, the instrument bears the signature of the President because they make recommendations and the President collects them. Let them send the names to the President, otherwise I have not seen any communication from the appointing authority withdrawing them.”