Why I Resigned:

A Personal Reflection on Institutional Silence, Security Threats, and the Cost of Loyalty

Today, I made the painful yet necessary decision to resign from all my roles at the Uganda Law Society (ULS), including Head of Protocol, Clerk to Council, Personal Assistant to the CEO, and Chief Scheduler to the President. This decision does not come lightly. It is the result of sustained security threats, institutional silence, and the dangerous price that one pays for serving on the frontlines of justice in a system that refuses to protect its own.

For years, I dedicated myself to the mission and work of the Uganda Law Society, serving diligently under the leadership of President Isaac K. Ssemakadde and advancing the vision of the Radical New Bar (RNB). I believed in its promise. I still do. But belief is not enough when your life is on the line.

While carrying out my duties—especially in my capacity as Clerk to Council and Head of Protocol—I was subjected to numerous security threats and acts of intimidation. These threats came not only from state agencies such as the  (CMI), Parliament CID, and Kiira Road Police, but also from individuals who currently or previously served on the ULS Council. I raised these issues with the President, the Vice President, and the CEO. No support, protection, or institutional concern was extended to me.

One of the key flashpoints came on February 7, 2025, when I delivered a set of official documents to the Speaker of Parliament on behalf of the Uganda Law Society. These included a letter from the President of the Bar, supporting reports, and sworn affidavits related to a sensitive legal matter: a petition against Justice Musa Ssekana, in a case involving grave allegations that he had molested women litigants in exchange for favorable judicial rulings. The Uganda Law Society had resolved to bring these matters to the attention of Parliament, in the interest of judicial accountability and protection of survivors.

Instead of receiving institutional support for this official act, I was summoned by the CID at Parliament and accused of forgery and uttering false documents.

See Police Summons Below

My request for legal representation from the Vice President and I was  ignored. There was no public defense, no legal team assigned to my case, and no institutional acknowledgment of the grave danger such a task had placed me in. I was left completely exposed.

Earlier, I had also been summoned by CMI, in relation to my official duties—once again, with no legal cover or response from the Society I loyally served. These repeated incidents marked a clear pattern: that the lives and safety of staff tasked with executing difficult but necessary actions were expendable.

Eventually, the threats became so severe that I fled the country for my safety. Even then, the ULS made no effort ensure my safety neither was any statement released condemning such threats . Upon my brief return, the Vice President verbally committed to assisting with the CID matter—but failed to follow through. As the threats escalated further, I was once again forced into leave the country in name of "official duty" , where I remain to this day.

This persecution has disrupted every aspect of my life. I have had to suspend my academic studies at University. My family has suffered deep emotional trauma. My career trajectory and personal dreams have been derailed. All of this, for doing my job.

Let us not forget that even the President of the Uganda Law Society himself has been forced into exile. That reality is not symbolic—it is symptomatic of an institutional and national crisis.

This resignation is not an act of defeat. It is an act of defiance. I cannot—and will not—continue to serve an institution that refuses to stand with its own. An institution that cannot protect its staff from real, documented threats has lost its moral ground to speak on justice.

I remain committed to the cause of legal reform, human rights, and the protection of the vulnerable. But I will now do so on terms that safeguard my life and integrity.

To my colleagues in the legal profession: we cannot afford silence anymore. We must demand systems that care, that shield, and that stand up for those who stand on the line between law and danger.

The law must protect. So must the Bar.

— ENDS —