Presidential Pardon Request for Former Law Society President Denied
A request for a presidential pardon for former Uganda Law Society President Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde has been rejected for being “premature,” according to official correspondence.
The rejection was communicated in a letter dated 28th November 2025 from the office of the Attorney General to Mr. Atabua Letia Shamil, who had written to President Yoweri Museveni on behalf of Ssemakadde in May 2025. The stated goal of the petition was to “facilitate restoration of harmony within the Uganda Law Society.”
The letter explains that the President exercises the prerogative of mercy based on the advice of the Advisory Committee of the Prerogative of Mercy. This committee reviewed the petition in a meeting on 26th November 2025.
The Committee found that the request did not meet key established criteria, noting two primary reasons:
- Sentence Not Served: Mr. Ssemakadde “has not served his sentence, and is currently outside of Uganda.” One of the core principles for consideration is that a petitioner must have served at least three-quarters of their sentence.
- Ongoing Appeal: The former lawyer “has a pending appeal against his conviction and sentence.” This means he has not exhausted all rights of appeal, another key requirement.
The Committee concluded that “as the judicial process is still ongoing, the petition is premature,” emphasizing that “non-interference with ongoing judicial proceedings is a core guiding principle.”
Consequently, the Committee advised against granting the pardon, and the request was therefore not forwarded to the President for approval.
The correspondence was copied to high-ranking officials including the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, and the Principal Private Secretary to the President.
Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde, a former President of the Uganda Law Society, was convicted and sentenced in a professional conduct case. His current whereabouts outside Uganda and the specifics of his pending appeal were not detailed in the released letters.
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