The People's Front for Freedom (PFF) has accused government of attempting to interfere in the recent Uganda Law Society (ULS) elections, where prominent human rights lawyer Isaac Ssemakadde Kimeze was elected President.
The PFF alleges that senior government officials, including the Attorney General and the head of the bar, sought to manipulate the election in favour of National Resistance Movement (NRM) loyalists to prevent Ssemakadde from assuming leadership.
In a statement, the PFF claimed that NRM loyalists were mobilised and transported to Munyonyo in an effort to influence the voting process.
The PFF commended Uganda's legal professionals for their resilience, highlighting that they resisted what was described as government "manoeuvres" to undermine the election.
They praised Ssemakadde's victory, emphasising his commitment to defending human rights and providing pro bono legal services to the underprivileged.
"This is a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle for the restoration of the rule of law in Uganda," the PFF said.
They expressed hope that Ssemakadde's leadership would reinvigorate efforts to address growing concerns about judicial independence and human rights violations in the country.
PFF went beyond the ULS election, accusing the government of a broader assault on the rule of law.
The group alleged that key legal institutions, including the judiciary, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the Attorney General's office, have been compromised and are now being used as tools of repression by the state.
"We observe that key institutions charged with nurturing and maintaining the rule of law have been overrun by Mr. Museveni and his agents," the PFF said, accusing these bodies of enabling human rights abuses instead of upholding justice.
The group further claimed that the judiciary has been filled with loyalist judges who prosecute fabricated cases against opposition leaders.
They also alleged that charges of treason and terrorism are frequently used to silence political adversaries, with civilians occasionally being tried in military courts overseen by President Museveni and his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The PFF painted a grim picture of Uganda's judicial system, accusing the DPP and the Attorney General of aiding the government's crackdown on opposition figures.
They argued that these institutions have misused the law to charge citizens with treason and terrorism, often without substantial evidence, in an effort to eliminate political threats to the ruling NRM government.
The statement also highlighted the plight of numerous opposition leaders who remain in detention on dubious charges.
"As PFF, we have 36 of our leaders in jail, charged with terrorism, after they were kidnapped while attending a leadership workshop in Kenya," the group revealed.
The PFF added that many supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) were abducted ahead of the 2021 elections and are still being held by military courts.
PFF also noted that 14 additional leaders have been charged with the minor offense of being a "public nuisance," which they described as part of a broader strategy by the government to suppress dissent.
PFF urged other professional groups, including medical workers, teachers, and journalists, to follow the example of the legal fraternity by standing up for constitutionalism and justice in Uganda.
The group stressed that Ssemakadde's victory should be a rallying point for all sectors of society to resist increasing authoritarianism.
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"The defiance shown by the legal fraternity should inspire other professional bodies to 'bang the tables' and help get the country back on track," the PFF statement read.
The group called for a collective effort across all sectors of Ugandan society to resist the capture of state institutions and restore the rule of law.
They cited examples from countries like Sudan and Pakistan, where professional associations played a key role in defending democratic governance and constitutional order.
Isaac Ssemakadde's election as president of the Uganda Law Society comes at a time of heightened tensions between the legal profession and the government.
His leadership is expected to draw attention to issues surrounding judicial independence and the treatment of opposition members.
