The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has called on Dr Douglas Singiza to resign as chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission, the Daily Monitor reported on Friday. The society cites his alleged endorsement of the presidential ambitions of Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The demand followed a photograph circulated on social media. It showed Singiza with MP Michael Mawanda at the Kampala offices of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).
ULS president Isaac K. Ssemakadde said a senior judicial office holder should not appear at a political organisation's headquarters. Nor should such an official back a serving military officer for political leadership, he said. In his view, the commission chair carries a special duty because the body recommends judicial appointments and disciplines judicial officers. "The Judicial Code of Conduct and the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct require a judge to be impartial, to be seen to be impartial, and to refrain from political activity," Ssemakadde said. According to the Monitor, Singiza had not publicly confirmed or denied visiting the offices.
The society already has a case against Singiza. On July 4, 2025, it filed Constitutional Petition No. 12 of 2025, arguing that he lacks the high moral character and proven integrity the Constitution requires. ULS also argues that he should have retired from the Judiciary after holding a full-time job outside it for more than three years. On July 8, 2025, it filed an urgent application to stop the commission from operating under his leadership. It now wants both heard during the Constitutional court session on November 3 and 4, 2026.
ULS has also asked the Chief Justice to clarify whether judicial officers may attend the premises or functions of political organisations. In addition, it challenges the legal status of PLU, which it describes as an unregistered political organisation led by a serving military officer. The society cites Article 208(2) of the Constitution, which requires the army to stay non-partisan. It has asked the Electoral Commission, the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions to act. The Monitor noted that these remain allegations and legal positions, not court findings. No response from PLU was available.
The dispute comes as PLU supporters campaign to endorse Muhoozi for the 2031 presidential election. On Tuesday, PLU official and Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda said President Yoweri Museveni had endorsed his son. He said this happened at a meeting of the ruling NRM at State House, Entebbe. Kabanda did not explain the nature of the endorsement. On October 24, former government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo questioned why ministers were rushing to endorse an aspirant so soon after the general election.
The endorsements continued on Thursday. Nile Post reported that the youth group Gen Z for Gen 7 declared its backing for Muhoozi at the PLU Secretariat in Naguru, Kampala. PLU National Vice Chairman Michael Nuwagira urged young people to embrace discipline and patriotism. The group pledged to pursue its goals through peaceful, lawful and constitutional means.