Singiza courts Ssemakadde's ULS to fill vacant JSC seats

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The chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Dr Douglas Singiza, has disclosed that he is engaging the Uganda Law Society (ULS) on filling two vacant seats on the commission.

Singiza made the remarks on April 1, 2026, while appearing before Members of Parliament on the Presidential Affairs Committee, chaired by Alex Bakunda Byarugaba (NRM).

Executive Order No 2 of 2024

It should be noted that the Uganda Law Society (ULS), led by Isaac Ssemakadde, recalled its two representatives, Ruth Sebatindira and Norah Matovu Winyi, from the Judicial Service Commission under Executive Order No. 2 of 2024.

This followed concerns that they had not been properly nominated.

The move was based on a High Court judgement in the case of Kalali Steven versus Uganda Law Society, in which the court ruled that appointing ULS representatives to statutory bodies without elections was illegal.

Regulation 13 of the Uganda Law Society (Elections) Regulations 2016 stipulates that “where any law requires the representation of the Society on a statutory or other body, the Elections Committee shall notify the members of the Society of the day and place for the election of the Society representatives”.

Meanwhile, the delay in filling the vacancies continues to raise concern. A copy of the JSC ministerial policy statement for the 2026/27 financial year shows that while sh19 million per month was budgeted for retainer allowances for the two Law Society representatives, the positions remain vacant.

Ongoing talks

Responding to the issue, Singiza assured lawmakers that steps are being taken to resolve the matter.

“I have taken the initiative to engage with senior lawyers in the Uganda Law Society, for example, Prof. Ssempebwa, Rezida of Nangwala and Company Advocates and other senior lawyers to see how we can bridge this gap,” he said.

“Most of the young people in the Radical New Bar are actually my friends. When we are in these conferences, they even say, 'you are not a chairperson, we are going to take you on as Douglas' and they insult me the way they want, afterwards they buy me a glass of wine, I board my plane and come back,” Singiza added.

He emphasised that he holds no grudges against the group.

“The only time I have ever pushed back was in ruling. I have never pursued them in any way other than using my pen or my laptop in judgment, and I did it once when someone drew me as a Nazi. I did that, I was cheeky,” Singiza concluded.