First, an explanation is warranted as to whether the Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac Ssemakadde is a villain.
Certainly, in the eyes of some he is. If it were not the case, he would not be governing the ULS from exile. He is currently forced to do so, by those he is seemingly overtly up against.
In equal measure, perhaps, or even more so, he has a loyal following that expects him to behave villain for the eventual greater good in Uganda’s justice, law and order sector.
In which regard, he likely fits the description benevolent villain.
Why Ssemakadde is a benevolent villain who has a point
The executive orders he has issued since he took office, speak volumes and speak for themselves. For those wishing to read them, I believe they are available on the ULS website.
His latest, I particularly like and endorse. It reads in part:
“Recognizing that the full decolonization of judicial costume, language, and service standards must reflect our history, climate, and diverse practices, the Legal Profession shall commence a public consultation on this matter within 90 days. The consultation panel shall comprise representatives of the Bench, the Bar, and Citizens’ Associations. The consultation shall: a. Review and report on the continued use of colonial wigs, gowns, and foreign language requirements, with a view to adopting dignified Ugandan alternatives that uphold equal dignity and public comprehension.” (ULS President Ssemakadde in Executive Order RNB No. 12 of 2026 – Abolition of Colonial Court Culture)
I have long questioned the undignified colonial legal wig, that our leaders branded the most wise in the ranks of our nation are obliged to wear as part of their official costumes.
I share here three samples of by posts advocating against using blonde colonial wigs as the symbol of wisdom in our republic, for context:
She justices dominated quorum on matter of military court trying civilians
I know those blonde legal wigs you wore are part of the attire of Supreme Court justices, but seriously, time is now, to ditch them. It is time for our nation to follow the example of other former colonies and be rid of the colonial relic that is the requirement for our justices and others in legal authority to wear blonde legal wigs. CLICK HERE to read more …
Wisdom eludes Uganda
And why does our speaker continue to wear a blonde wig, a sign of global-western wisdom? A costly one at that, I might add. We spend millions buying the blonde wig and millions to maintain it, while jiggers go on the rampage in Busoga, in particular and in Uganda in general. Surely, we need to re-think this. CLICK HERE to read more …
Uganda get rid of the blonde wig
Most of all, our attention to the budget speech was dominated by the blonde legal wig that the Speaker wore. Its lack of aesthetic value aside, we wondered why the Speaker had to wear it. As the minister went on and on about how things had grown by this percentage and that rate, we could not relate to what she was saying. Then the minister gave the projections for the New Year and they were meaningless in the same way as the speaker’s blonde legal wig was to us. Think about it. It is likely that majority of Ugandans, including ‘learned Ugandans’ who wear legal wigs as part of their official attire, do not know why the owners, British barristers, wear them. The original reason why, is because blonde wigs were fashionable during the reign of King Charles II (1660-1685). CLICK HERE to read more …
I wish all taking action to rid our nation of the colonial legal wig success.
May the ‘benevolent villain Ssemakadde’ and his Radical New Bar team succeed.
And may their success be the epicenter from whence all other governing sectors of Uganda will take lessons to decolonize our governing organs of colonial relics.
the Humanist view 
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