
Human Rights Lawyer Eron Kiiza Launches National Consultations for Uganda Law Society Presidency
KASESE – In a powerful and stark declaration, prominent human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza has officially announced his bid for the presidency of the Uganda Law Society (ULS), framing the upcoming election as a critical battle for the soul of the nation’s judiciary and legal profession.
Kiiza’s announcement, made on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Kasese, comes as the tenure of the current ULS council is set to end on September 27, 2025. He has initiated a “country-wide tour” to consult with ULS members, describing it as a “refreshing, participatory and didactic” process.
In his statement, Kiiza painted a grim picture of the current state of justice in Uganda, asserting that the bar is bound in “judicial, economic, and political chains” and that justice is on its “deathbed,” having become a privilege for the wealthy and powerful rather than a right for all.
Positioning himself as a “tested, calm and battle-hardened warrior for justice,” Kiiza directly referenced his personal sacrifices, including enduring “political persecution, military torture, threats against my life, economic pressures, and imprisonment.” He stated that these attempts to break his resolve had failed, and that the “high walls and thick prison doors have not silenced me.”
His campaign platform is built on a record of what he calls an “indefatigable” defense of:
· Lawyers’ welfare and young lawyers’ rights
· Human dignity and women’s rights
· The rule of law and social justice
· Bar and judicial autonomy
· The rights of the oppressed, including journalists, writers, farmers, detainees, and evictees
Kiiza emphasized that his leadership would be crucial as Uganda heads into a national election season, which he predicts will be “replete with human rights abuses.” He pledged that a ULS under his presidency would respond to such challenges “firmly, swiftly and with integrity.”
He promised members a “robust, dignified and unrelenting defence” of their rights and the public interest, with the ultimate goal of “unchaining the bar” from the forces he says are “stealing our dreams, damning our efforts and dashing our hopes.”
The announcement sets the stage for a highly consequential ULS election, likely to be watched closely as a barometer of the legal community’s stance on judicial independence and human rights in Uganda.