As the Uganda Law Society (ULS) prepares for leadership transition in September 2025, the contest for the presidency has opened up conversations about the future of the bar.
Among the frontrunners is lawyer and human rights defender Eron Kiiza, whose campaign has been framed around addressing deep-seated issues within the profession and the justice system at large.
Under the banner #UnchainTheBar, Kiiza has embarked on nationwide consultations with advocates, engaging them on challenges such as the shortage of judicial officers, congested courts, and case backlogs.
His recent stop in Masaka drew attention to these structural barriers, with local lawyers led by Lule Alexander stressing the urgent need for reforms in judicial staffing and infrastructure.
Beyond the courts, Kiiza’s campaign resonates with lawyers and citizens who have witnessed his long record of fighting for bar autonomy, judicial independence, and human rights.
In Kasese, where he once represented Rwenzururu Kingdom residents and Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere following the 2016 palace clashes, his visit was celebrated as a return of a defender who has stood with the vulnerable.
In his engagements, Kiiza has consistently linked his candidacy to broader justice issues:
“I have been an indefatigable defender of lawyers’ welfare, young lawyers’ rights, human dignity, women’s rights, the rule of law, and social justice. I will continue to defend not just lawyers, but also journalists, farmers, detainees, and other vulnerable voices,” he told lawyers in Kasese.
Kiiza argues that the ULS must reposition itself as a transformative voice in society, breaking free from what he calls “judicial, political, and economic chains” that weaken its role.
His promise is to return the society to a position where it can influence reforms, protect lawyers, and champion public interest causes.
Meanwhile, the ULS itself remains mired in internal wrangles, with sharp divisions between the secretariat led by Philip Munaabi and current president Isaac Ssemakadde over the legality of the upcoming elections.
A Supreme Court decision is awaited on the validity of the disputed 2024 Annual General Meeting, raising uncertainty over the electoral roadmap.
As the debate unfolds, Kiiza’s consultations are highlighting the systemic gaps in justice delivery and questioning whether the bar has done enough to confront them.
His campaign has effectively turned the ULS elections into a referendum on whether the society should remain insular, or reassert its role as a guardian of rights and rule of law in Uganda.
The Source Reports.
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