President of Uganda Law Society, Isaac Ssemakadde has criticized the appointment of Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo as Uganda’s new Principal Judge, describing it as a blow to judicial independence and public trust.
In a press release issued on Monday, September 1, 2025, Ssemakadde, who also serves as President of the Uganda Law Society (ULS), questioned the legitimacy of the process and Abodo’s qualifications for the role.
“Public trust in the judiciary has reached an all-time low and appointing Jane Frances Abodo as Principal Judge, in blatant disregard of Uganda Law Society’s Constitutional Application No. 11 of 2025 seeking orders to halt the recruitment of judicial officers by a yet-to-be fully constituted Judicial Service Commission, is a recipe for disaster,” Ssemakadde said.
He further challenged Abodo’s professional track record citing her handling of high-profile cases as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
“Her five-year tenure as a bent prosecutor, marked by allegations of bias and deliberate weaponisation of criminal justice to destroy critics and political opponents of her appointing authority, raises serious concerns about her capacity to preserve judicial independence and integrity,” he noted.
Ssemakadde also invoked past court battles, accusing Abodo of disregarding a Supreme Court ruling in Attorney General v Kabaziguruka (Constitutional Appeal 2 of 2021) which ordered the transfer of civilians from military courts to civilian courts.
“How did she even qualify for this appointment given her blatant defiance of the Supreme Court order?” he asked.
Ssemakadde recalled his own challenges against Abodo’s leadership, particularly at the East African Court of Justice.
“I am indeed proud of my role in constantly challenging her legitimacy as Director of Public Prosecutions, notably in our landmark case at the East African Court of Justice (Reference No. 15 of 2020), a judgment she appears to have evaded,” he added.
Ssemakadde argued that the office of the Principal Judge has become largely ceremonial, warning that Abodo’s appointment may accelerate the judiciary’s decline.
“With the office of the Principal Judge already largely relegated to a ceremonial mascot and an artery of external influence, Abodo’s appointment by a discredited JSC through an opaque process will likely hasten the judiciary’s decline,” he said.
He noted, “It is my hope that this downward trajectory will ultimately force a reckoning, making the need for radical surgery of our judiciary undeniable, even to those who have previously tolerated incompetent leadership under the guise of feminism. May she fail spectacularly!”
His complaint comes just days after President Yoweri Museveni confirmed Justice Abodo’s appointment, pending parliamentary approval.
