Six vie for Uganda Law Society Presidency

The lawyers who are contesting. Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba

UGANDA LAW SOCIETY

At least six lawyers yesterday were nominated for the presidency of the Uganda Law Society ahead of the forthcoming elections.

The elections of the new President, organized to be conducted under a secret ballot for the first time, are scheduled to take place on 4^th April during the society's annual general meeting at the Imperial Resort Hotel in Entebbe town.

The six candidates will embark on soliciting for support from members and the successful candidate is poised to replace the incumbent, Simon Peter Kinobe who, according to the society constitution, completed his two terms and will therefore not be eligible for contesting again.

The candidates who submitted their nomination papers yesterday at the High Court include Nelson Walusimbi, Anne Karungi, Anthony Wameli Yeboa, Phiona Wall Nasaba, Rashid Ssemambo, and Bernard Oundo.

Upon completing the first year term, according to the constitution, the President is automatically given another term.

The candidates, accompanied by their campaigners jammed the court corridors, with many already jovial and soliciting support from members of the opposition candidates apart from one candidate (name withheld) who refused journalists to even take his photo.

Anyone qualifies to contest for the presidency when he submits papers proving that he is a fully paid-up member of ULS and the East African Law Society.

He or she should have been in practice for at least seven years and above and must have been cleared by the law council of no evidence of conviction of any offence for the last 24 months.

Candidates were also required to submit signatures of at least 30 paid-up members and paid a nomination fee of sh2m non-refundable to the ULS. The elections committee is headed by Counsel George Omunyokol.

Wameli, one of the nominees journalists that if elected he would work on narrowing the gap and relationship between the bar and the bench, which he said was declining with the majority of judicial officers at loggerheads with practitioners.

"My observation is that each side has failed to understand the roles of the other. In most times judicial officers have not fully appreciated the role of the practitioners in the judicial system," he said.

He also pledged to end the practice of government bodies mainly the police stifling legal processes including blocking court orders, which he described as too much interference with the legal executions.

He would also wish to set up avenues of enlightening the public about the role of lawyers and strengthen the rule of law in Uganda.    

Other posts up for grabs include the vice presidency, treasurer and secretary.