Police arrest Kizza Besigye's lawyer (Rtd) Major Ronald Iduli after raiding his house
By Charles Adinda |
Iduli was set to appear before the General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala City, alongside Hajji Obed Kamulegeya to defend Besigye.
Ugandan police have arrested the country's opposition leader Kizza Besigye's lawyer, Retired Major Ronald Iduli.
This is according to the Uganda Law Society, which said the police raided the lawyer's house in Bulenga, Wakiso district, at 4.00 am Tuesday.
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Iduli was set to appear before the General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala City, alongside Hajji Obed Kamulegeya to defend Besigye.
Uganda Law Society strongly condemned the incident, saying it is "a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence our member and, by extension, the entire legal profession."
Dr Kizza Besigye's lawyer, Retired Major Ronald Iduli. (Photo: Handout)
"We will not be cowed! We demand that the authorities take immediate action to ensure Ronald's safe release and to bring the perpetrators to justice," It further demanded.
The society also called upon the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the UPDF authorities, in particular, to investigate the incident thoroughly and provide a detailed report.
"To our members and the general public, we say: enough is enough! We will not stand idly by while our colleagues are harassed and intimidated. We will fight for our rights, and we will fight for justice."
Meanwhile, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) has pledged to fight for Martha Karua’s right to practice law in Uganda, following the denial of her application for a special temporary practising certificate.
Karua sought the certificate to serve as lead counsel in the politically charged case of Ugandan opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye.
In a letter dated December 10, Isaac SSemakadde, President of the ULS, expressed regret over the rejection of Karua’s application by the Uganda Law Council, describing the decision as ignorant and prejudiced. He encouraged Karua to submit another application, assuring her that the ULS would safeguard her right to practice.
“All hope is not lost. The Uganda Law Society is empowered to fight for Ms. Karua's audience,” wrote SSemakadde. “I urge Karua SC to reapply through my office, invoking the International Bar Association (IBA) standards for the independence of the legal profession.”
SSemakadde criticised the Uganda Law Council for its alleged bias and failure to uphold the independence of the legal profession. He also accused the council of malice, revealing his exclusion from the special meeting that reviewed Karua's application.
"They maliciously did not invite me to the special sitting of December 6, 2024, which purportedly considered Martha Karua's application." Had I been present, I would have explicitly pointed to Article 19,” he stated.
The council reportedly rejected Karua's application on procedural grounds, citing the absence of notarised copies of her practising certificate, a letter of good standing from the Law Society of Kenya, and other documentation. Karua responded by sharing a detailed letter on her social media, calling the council's reasoning unfounded.
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