Nabasa sues Uganda Law Society over JSC job

Uganda Law Society (ULS) together with its head of election committee have been dragged to court seeking orders to stop its forthcoming elections scheduled for December 17.

In the petition filed before the High Court Civil Division in Kampala, Ms Pheona Nabasa Gladys Wall sued the lawyer’s umbrella body and Mr Moses Mwase for allegedly omitting her name from the final nomination list for a representative of ULS to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to which she says was unlawful and illegal.

The former ULS president is seeking a court’s order against the respondents quashing their impugned decision to exclude her from the list of duly nominated candidates for the elective position of law society representative to JSC.

“An order of mandamus be issued against the respondents directing them to reinstate the name of the applicant on the list of the duly nominated candidates to vie for the elective position of the respondent’s representatives to the Judicial Service Commission,” reads in part the court document.
Ms Nabasa also seeks an order directing the respondents to hold elections of ULS representatives to JSC in compliance with the principles of equity, and neutrality and in the accordance with ULS Act and its rules.

According to her application in court, Ms Nabasa states that on November 26, ULS issued/ published a notice of election of JSC nominees of the ULS to be held on December 17 wherein potential candidates were invited to submit the prerequisite requirements for their nomination.

“The applicant duly complied with the said notice and on December 3, 2024, she duly submitted her nomination documents which were verified by the Elections Committee of the 1st respondent (ULS) headed by the 2nd respondent (Mwase) and duly certified that she was eligible for the said position whereupon she was issued with a duly signed nomination form and her name entered on the list of nominated candidates to vie for the position of the 1st respondent’s representative to the JSC,” court documents read in part.

Court documents reveal that Ms Nabasa received a phone call from Mr Mwase, informing her of an official written complaint against her nomination. She promptly returned to the nomination room at 7pm, where the alleged complainant was summoned and denied making the complaint. With no complaint substantiated, Ms Nabasa resumed her campaigns.

In her petition, Ms Nabasa says she was dismayed in the same evening of December 3, when ULS president which is the appointing authority of the Elections Committee headed by Mr Mwase circulated a list of the nominated candidates without her name. The list bearing the signature of Mr Mwase on the official letterhead of ULS was reportedly shared on the president’s personal X handle.

Court documents further read …..“That the applicant reached out to the Elections Committee headed by the 2nd respondent who confirmed that it was indeed their document but offered no explanation as to why she was excluded from the list of duly nominated candidates for the said position.”
Ms Nabasa avers that the president of ULS, Mr Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde launched a social media campaign against her candidature stating publicly that he had rejected her nomination.

She seeks a court order that the respondents pay general damages for inconvenience, reputational damage and mental and psychological anguish she has suffered as a respected public figure and former president of ULS.
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