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Kampala, Uganda | URN | The society hopes the mediation will pave the way for its delayed AGM and elections while fostering greater cooperation within the justice sector.
A mediation process led by former Chief Justice Bert Katureebe is offering fresh hope for resolving the long-running dispute between the Judiciary and the Uganda Law Society (ULS), with the society expressing optimism that the talks could clear the way for its delayed annual general meeting and elections.
Speaking during an update to members on Thursday, ULS Vice President Anthony Asiimwe said the parties are scheduled to hold a third mediation session on Friday following two earlier meetings held over the past month.
“The ongoing mediation before Chief Justice Emeritus Bert Katureebe is revolutionary,” Asiimwe said.
“We are working earnestly towards an honourable out-of-court settlement with all parties involved.”
The mediation effort comes after months of tensions that have seen the ULS and members of its governing council dragged into more than 40 court cases, according to Asiimwe.
The litigation has resulted in court orders that blocked meetings, froze elections, and affected the society’s ability to make statutory representations to several public bodies.
Asiimwe said the latest mediation initiative differs from previous attempts because it was conceived and driven by members of the legal fraternity rather than the courts.
He credited a group of senior lawyers, including Prof. Fredrick Ssempebwa, Francis Gimara, Robert Rutaro, and Zubedah Namutebi, for spearheading the process, while Katureebe volunteered to serve as mediator.
According to Asiimwe, the mediation process began on May 13, followed by a second session on June 5, with another meeting scheduled for June 12.
The ULS leadership says it fully supports the initiative and hopes it will help repair relations between the Bar and the Bench that have deteriorated in recent months.
“We have chosen the harder, longer road of dialogue and reconciliation,” Asiimwe said.
“We are not here to prolong conflicts. We are here to transform Bar-Bench relations and Bar-government relations for the ultimate benefit of the people of Uganda.”
Asiimwe rejected suggestions that the current ULS leadership is opposed to alternative dispute resolution (ADR), arguing that the society has consistently supported mediation despite being involved in numerous court battles.
He noted that previous attempts at court-directed mediation had not yielded results, although judges at both the Court of Appeal and the High Court had encouraged parties to pursue dialogue.
The Vice President revealed that the High Court’s Civil Division recently adjourned all ULS-related cases until September 24, 2026, to allow mediation to succeed.
The society has also proposed a single consolidated mediation process covering all related disputes because the cases are interconnected and should be resolved comprehensively.
The dispute traces its roots to disagreements between the Judiciary and the ULS leadership that intensified following remarks and actions by judicial leaders that the society viewed as exclusionary towards the Bar.
The conflict subsequently spilled into the courts, resulting in multiple suits and appeals that have hampered the operations of the lawyers’ body.
Asiimwe expressed hope that the Katureebe-led talks would mark the beginning of a new chapter of cooperation between the legal profession and the Judiciary.
“We hope tomorrow’s mediation will mark the beginning of a new chapter of mutual respect, professional solidarity, and collaborative service to our nation,” he said.
The outcome of the mediation is expected to determine whether the Uganda Law Society can proceed with long-delayed governance processes, including its annual general meeting and elections.
The ULS leadership under exiled Isaac Ssemakadde is under pressure to hold an election for the country’s bar body after the expiry of its term.
