Legislators call for enhanced regulation of law profession

Lawmakers have raised concerns over the quality of lawyers, saying the increasing number of graduates in the profession are having a negative impact.

Soroti Municipality Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Anna Adeke said that the high number of students pursuing the law degree calls for tightened regulations on the profession by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

“How are you [Minister] managing the influx of law graduates? Is the quality of advocates still a concern for you as a regulator and are you aware of how the Law Development Centre is overwhelmed,” Adeke asked.

The concerns were raised during a meeting of the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs which had officials from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs led by Minister, Hon. Norbert Mao on Tuesday, 08 April 2025.

The minister was presenting the ministry’s policy statement and budget estimates for the 2025/2026 financial year.

Hon. Abdul Katuntu (Indep, Bugweri County) said that for the quality of lawyers to be upheld, the ministry should consider developing a policy that mandates learners to pursue law as a second degree and not the first as is the case currently.

“The quality of legal training is questionable. There are so many lawyers churned out, something is not right,” he said.

The Secretary of the Uganda Law Council, Margaret Nabakooza said that a Cabinet memorandum is in the offing with proposals to address the quality of lawyers.

She acknowledged that the quality of lawyers is deteriorating adding that the Law Council has set standards while approving applications.

“The quality has really gone down, some people cannot even spell their names and such applications are bounced back,” she said.

Nabakooza  pointed out that the Law Development Centre is overwhelmed with 3,000 graduates in legal practice annually.

In another development, MPs expressed their frustrations over the continued delay in establishment of the Constitutional Review Commission.

Hon. Niwagaba (R) wondered if there will be a Constitutional Review Commission before the general elections in 2026

Ndorwa County East MP, Hon. Wilfred Niwagaba cast doubt on the Executive’s commitment in forming the commission saying that there is limited time.

“Can you [minister] confirm that the Constitutional Review Commission is a gone case and there will be no electoral reforms? There is no time for Parliament to pass meaningful electoral reforms,” Niwagaba said.

Hon. Mathias Mpuuga (Nyendo-Mukungwe Division) warned that the 2026 general elections may not be free and fair if electoral reforms are not put in place.

“President Museveni seems to be keen on formulation of a bio-metric voting system as opposed to the current troubled system. What is the progress of implementation of electoral reforms,” Mpuuga asked.

Mao attributed the delay to lack of clear guidance from the Executive saying that funds were released in the 2022/2023 financial year’s budget but later returned to the Consolidated Fund.

“We wanted this job to be done by the Uganda Law Reform Commission so that we do not spend a lot of money but we still await guidance. Some of us are committed but government must move as a whole,” Mao said.