Uganda Law Society president Isaac Ssemakadde has issued a strong rebuke of the planned swearing-in of President-elect Yoweri Museveni, describing the ceremony at Kololo as a “charade” and questioning the legality of the 15 January 2026 election process.
In an open letter to members of the legal profession, Ssemakadde said key legal requirements for validating the presidential results had not been met, arguing that the Electoral Commission had failed to release full and verifiable election data.
“There is a direct connection between the deepening crisis in Uganda’s justice system and the events unfolding in Kampala City since the beginning of last week,” he wrote.
He added that constitutional requirements for declaring a winner remain incomplete.
He further accused the Electoral Commission of withholding detailed polling station results and declaration forms, saying this has made independent verification of the outcome impossible.
“The so-called ‘independent’ Electoral Commission has still not published comprehensive polling-station-level results, the Declaration of Results forms, or detailed tallies for the presidential race,” Ssemakadde stated.
The Uganda Law Society previously raised similar concerns in its 5 February 2026 election observation report and is part of a joint legal petition filed with the East Africa Law Society at the East African Court of Justice in Arusha.
The case challenges what it terms a lack of transparency in the electoral process.
Ssemakadde also questioned the judiciary’s involvement in the swearing-in process, warning that it risks legitimising what he described as an unlawful election outcome.
“The heads of the Ugandan Judiciary are now poised to oversee the formal endorsement of an electoral process widely regarded as a crime, orchestrated by the Electoral Commission and shielded by the military,” he said.
Security has been tightened in Kampala ahead of the Kololo ceremony, with military and police units restricting movement in and around key government zones.
The Uganda Law Society president linked the lockdown to wider concerns about political freedoms and accountability.
Kololo, where the ceremony is scheduled to take place, was also heavily criticised in the letter. Ssemakadde described it as a long-standing symbol of exclusion and state control.
“Kololo is the physical embodiment of illegitimate government in Uganda,” he wrote, pointing to its historical role in colonial administration and continued use for high-level state events under tight security.
He urged members of the legal profession to distance themselves from the ceremony, calling on lawyers, judicial officers, and lawmakers not to participate.
“No lawyer, law student, court officer, or honest lawmaker should participate in this charade,” he stated.
Ssemakadde also referenced allegations of political repression, including detentions and disappearances, saying the heavy military presence during national events reflects deeper governance concerns that cannot be ignored.