National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has sharply criticized members of Uganda’s legal fraternity, accusing them of enabling systemic injustices and entrenching oppression in the country.
Speaking during a public lecture organized under the Radical New Bar (RNB) platform in Kampala—a forum initiated by Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac Kimaze Ssemakade to promote open dialogue on justice and transparency—Kyagulanyi condemned lawyers for what he called “betraying the principles of justice and the rule of law.”
“It’s very painful to see legal minds compromising their values. Those who should be fighting for justice, fair hearing, and constitutionalism are instead enabling repression,” Kyagulanyi said. He accused lawyers of playing a central role in drafting oppressive legislation, instituting politically motivated charges, and frustrating electoral justice in Uganda.
“Who drafts the oppressive laws like the UPDF Act, the Public Order Management Act? It’s lawyers. Who sanctions fake charges against regime critics? It’s lawyers. Who prosecutes citizens like Dr. Kizza Besigye without due process or sends tortured victims like Eddie Mutwe back to prison? Lawyers. Who has made it nearly impossible to overturn presidential election results? Lawyers,” Kyagulanyi charged.
“Today, those who steal taxpayers’ money are shielded by the justice system, while those who protest corruption are criminalized. What lesson are we teaching our children—that stealing is okay?”
Kyagulanyi warned that when constitutionalism collapses, even those who once benefited from the system will not be spared. He called on lawyers to resist lawlessness and take a stand for justice, warning that silence or complicity could lead the country into further chaos.
He also took a swipe at the Supreme Court, accusing it of prioritizing political interests over justice and truth. “All presidential election petitions have seen the Supreme Court ignore clear evidence of rigging and state violence. They hide behind the ‘substantiality test’—a legal excuse to deny justice,” Kyagulanyi said.
He blamed the legal fraternity’s failures for contributing to Uganda’s historical constitutional crises, referencing the events leading up to the 1966 power grab. Kyagulanyi was accompanied at the event by several senior NUP leaders, including Kawempe North MP Erias Lukwago Luyimbazi, NUP Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya, Deputy President Dr. Lina Zedriga, and Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Law Society paid tribute to the late Justice George William Kanyeihamba, hailing his integrity and enduring contribution to Uganda’s legal framework. ULS Head of Rule of Law, Afra Apio, praised the former Supreme Court judge as a fearless defender of justice.
Justice Kanyeihamba was instrumental in drafting the 1995 Constitution and is remembered for his strong stance on judicial independence and the rule of law.