By National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, has urged Uganda’s legal fraternity to rise against what he termed a collapse of constitutionalism, warning that even lawyers are not safe in the current political climate.
Speaking during the Radical New Bar discourse at the Uganda Law Society (ULS) headquarters, Kyagulanyi referenced the recent disappearance of Abed Nasser Mudyobole, a prominent lawyer and NUP supporter, who has been missing since May 17, 2025 after reportedly being abducted by armed security operatives in Kyaliwajala.
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“If a well-known lawyer like Mudyobole can vanish without a trace, why do you think you’re safe?” Kyagulanyi asked. “Titles and success will not protect you when the Constitution has been reduced to paper.”
Kyagulanyi said Mudyobole’s case is part of a growing trend of abductions and intimidation targeting opposition members and human rights defenders, adding that lawyers have a duty to act before the situation worsens.
“If Uganda burns, it will burn you just like it burns a boda boda rider in Kamwokya. None of us will be safe,” he warned.
He urged lawyers to emulate past legal icons such as Sam Njuba, who abandoned the courtroom to fight for democracy during the 1980s.
“History calls you again. You understand the problem better than anyone. Be part of the solution before it’s too late,” Kyagulanyi said.
He called on lawyers to move beyond silence:
“Why complain about MPs who have overstayed if you’re not willing to stand against them? I couldn’t just sit back and grumble about President Museveni’s prolonged rule — I chose to take a stand. So should you.”
Kyagulanyi emphasized unity in resisting oppression:
“There are only two options when it comes to contributing to the struggle: If you cannot join those already putting their lives on the frontlines, then at the very least, do not allow yourself to be used by the oppressors.”
He urged the legal fraternity to emulate past generations who fought to restore the rule of law during turbulent times:
“We all remember that lawyers were the driving force in the Moshi Conference which led to liberation from Amin’s dictatorship.”
Adding to the discussion, Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu praised exiled lawyer Isaac Ssemakadde, describing him as a reformist who revived the Uganda Law Society:
“There was a time, not too long ago, when the Uganda Law Society was in a state of slumber. But then came Ssemakadde, whose courageous leadership shook us out of complacency. Had we continued in that direction, ULS could have collapsed entirely.”
The session also paid tribute to the late Justice George Kanyeihamba, former Supreme Court judge, who died Monday at 85. A special memorial chair featuring his books was unveiled at the ULS offices in his honor.
