Ugandan poet, lawyer, and environmentalist Eron Kiiza has officially embarked on a countrywide consultation tour as he seeks to contest for the presidency of the Uganda Law Society (ULS).
Kiiza, a seasoned human rights defender and advocate of the High Court, announced his bid in Kasese on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, pledging to restore dignity, independence, and integrity to the Bar.
“The Ugandan Bar is bound in judicial, economic, and political chains. Justice has become a privilege for the few, rather than a right for all. Speaking truth to power is now perilous, but ULS must provide a steady, tested and principled leadership,” Kiiza declared.
He said his leadership would focus on strengthening lawyers’ welfare, promoting the autonomy of the Bar and judiciary, and defending vulnerable groups including journalists, farmers, women, youth, detainees, and evictees.
Kiiza noted that his candidacy comes at a time when Uganda is preparing for a national election season marked by human rights concerns.
He promised to lead the society in standing firm against violations of rights and threats to justice.
“I have braved persecution, torture and imprisonment, yet I remain unbroken. ULS leadership must respond firmly, swiftly, and with integrity,” he added.
The tenure of the current ULS council is set to expire on September 27, 2025, paving the way for new leadership.
Kiiza, who co-founded Kiiza & Mugisha Advocates and heads The Environment Shield Limited, has won both local and international recognition for his work.
He was nominated for the 2022 EU Human Rights Defender of the Year Award, named Central Uganda Human Rights Defender of the Year in 2020, and recognized by LASPNET as an Outstanding Public Interest Lawyer in 2022.
As consultations continue across the country, Kiiza is positioning himself as a “battle-hardened warrior for justice,” rallying lawyers to “unchain the Bar” from political and economic influence.
