Learn from your Kenyan counterparts; ULS boss advises Muslim lawyers

By Abdul-Wahid Kakande

Isaac Ssemakadde, the president of the Uganda Law Society (ULS), has urged the newly inaugurated leadership of the UgandaMuslimLawyersAssociation (UMLAS) to pick lessons from the Kenya Muslim Lawyers Association (KMLA). Speaking at a dinner during which the newly elected UMLAS leaders formally took over leadership, Ssemakadde praised KMLA for making a name as a formidable defender of the rule of law within the East African Community.

By learning from their Kenyan counterparts, Ssemakadde said, UMLAS can strengthen its own position and effectiveness in promoting justice and upholding the rule of law in Uganda. “We (lawyers) have been a joke for more than two decades in the eyes of some members of the public. In Kenya, the Muslim lawyers’ association ceased to be a joke. Muslim lawyers from Kenya are the most trustworthy defenders of the rule of law in the East African community. They also formed a bank, and we should aspire for the same,” Ssemakadde said.

Ssemakadde expressed disappointment with the current state of Muslim lawyers in the country, emphasizing the urgent need for reform. “To be a Muslim lawyer in Uganda, there was a time, it meant to be the best lawyer like Abu Mayanja. So, if we want to get back to the top, we should avoid mediocrity,” Ssemakadde said.

UMLAS is the umbrella body that brings together all Muslim lawyers in the country. Speaking at the same event, Hajji Ismail Bbumba, the deputy Honorary Consul of Malaysia in Uganda urged UMLAS to champion Muslim unity in the country. “I commend you (Muslim lawyers) for coming together and it is my appeal that you should use your association to champion unity in the Muslim community,” Bbumba said. Bbumba also tasked the Muslim lawyers to come up with basic sharia education programs so that they can produce sharia law experts among themselves. “It is you to promote Islamic banking but if you don’t have the basic knowledge in sharia law, you may find it very difficult to promote it,” Bbumba noted.

Bbumba emphasized the need for UMLAS keeping vigilant about legislation that could impact the Muslim community, particularly the Marriage Bill, 2024. He further urged the association to take the lead in advocating for the operationalisation of the Khadi courts which should be the courts of first inference for resolving disputes related to Muslim marriages. The new UMLAS president, Rashid Ssemambo, urged the Muslim lawyers to build capacity and character by acquiring knowledge. “We seem to have qualifications that do not translate into change in society. We need to understand the law and the community we live

in to create meaningful change,” Ssemambo said.

Ssemambo said his reign is going to be of action more than words. “We cannot continue to argue matters on social media. For example, I saw many of us commenting about the issue of the Hajji who has been charged for allegedly defiling his stepdaughter, how does that help him or the alleged victim? We have abdicated our roles as Muslim lawyers and it is time for us to swing into action,” Ssemambo said.

UMLAS vice president Sofia Kigozi vowed to take the necessary steps to ensure that the Muslim lawyers legal aid clinic is approved by the Law Council to offer free legal services to the Muslim community, especially the vulnerable ones.

UMLAS chief executive officer Siraje Katantazi tasked Muslim lawyers to educate the muslim community about the developments in law to avoid landing into troubles. Justice Muzamir Kibeedi of the Court of Appeal was among the prominent Muslim legal minds that graced the event. Robert Ali Bogere was recognised as the Muslim litigator of the year, Dr Zahara Nampewo as the Muslim academician of the year, Rashidah Batala, the judicial officer of the year while Asuman Kiyingi took the community award.