“When Did You Become Lords?”-ULS Declares War On Colonial Judicial Culture, Abolishes ‘My Lord’ & Bowing In Courts

By Frank Kamuntu 

Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac K. Ssemakadde has unveiled one of the most far-reaching symbolic reforms in the country’s legal profession, issuing an Executive Order abolishing the use of colonial honorifics such as “My Lord,” “Your Lordship,” and “Your Worship,” while also prohibiting advocates from bowing before judicial officers.

The directive, issued under Executive Order RNB No. 12 of 2026 and released on Saba Saba Day, marks a bold attempt by the Radical New Bar (RNB) to dismantle what it describes as the lingering colonial culture embedded within Uganda’s justice system. The order takes immediate effect for members of the Uganda Law Society and seeks to replace centuries-old courtroom traditions with practices grounded in equality, dignity and constitutional citizenship.

In the strongly worded order, Ssemakadde argues that Uganda’s Judiciary continues to operate within a culture of excessive deference that has insulated judicial officers from public accountability. He contends that rituals such as bowing before judges and addressing them using feudal titles reinforce outdated notions of superiority that have no place in a democratic society.

“Theatrical props of elitism,” as the Executive Order describes them, have contributed to widening the distance between judicial officers and ordinary citizens who rely on the courts for justice. According to the order, removing these rituals will help restore the dignity of litigants and lawyers while reminding judicial officers that they serve the people rather than rule over them.

Under the new directive, advocates are instructed to address members of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal simply as “Mr. Justice” or “Madam Justice,” High Court judges as “Mr. Judge” or “Madam Judge,” magistrates as “Mr. Magistrate” or “Madam Magistrate,” and registrars using similar plain-language titles. Lawyers may also address judicial officers by their official titles followed by their surnames, such as “Judge Okello” or “Magistrate Nakato.”

The order further declares that members of the Radical New Bar shall no longer bow or perform any physical act of subservience before judicial officers. Instead, advocates and litigants are encouraged to stand upright and speak “as free citizens,” reflecting what Ssemakadde says should be a relationship of equality between citizens and the institutions established to serve them.

Beyond courtroom etiquette, the Executive Order proposes a broader transformation of Uganda’s legal culture. It directs the commencement of a national consultation within the next 90 days to examine other colonial legacies within the Judiciary. These include the continued use of wigs and gowns inherited from the British legal system, the use of foreign legal language, and the need to rewrite the Judiciary’s Client Charter in plain language that ordinary Ugandans can easily understand.

According to the order, the proposed consultation should involve representatives from the Bench, the Bar and citizens’ associations, with the objective of developing a justice system that reflects Uganda’s history, climate, culture and constitutional values rather than imported traditions.

The Executive Order was deliberately issued on Saba Saba Day, a date associated across East Africa with resistance against authoritarianism and demands for civil liberties. Ssemakadde uses the symbolism of the day to argue that decolonising courtroom culture forms part of a broader struggle to make justice more accessible, transparent and accountable.

The order also contains a scathing assessment of the current state of Uganda’s justice system, alleging executive interference, judicial corruption, selective justice, prolonged pre-trial detention and military encroachment into civilian justice processes. It argues that dismantling ceremonial displays of hierarchy is an important first step towards addressing deeper structural challenges affecting public confidence in the Judiciary.

Supporters of the reforms say the changes represent a long-overdue break from colonial traditions that no longer reflect modern constitutional democracy. They argue that respect for judicial authority should stem from integrity, independence and fairness rather than ritualistic displays of submission inherited from colonial administration.

If fully embraced by the legal profession, the reforms could significantly alter courtroom culture in Uganda, making legal proceedings appear less intimidating to ordinary citizens while reinforcing the principle that every person stands equal before the law.

The Executive Order took effect immediately upon its issuance on July 7, 2026, and is to be circulated among members of the Uganda Law Society as the Radical New Bar begins implementing what it describes as a new era of dignity, equality and decolonised justice.