Bernard Oundo replaces Pheona Wall as Uganda Law Society president

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Bernard Oundo has been elected President of Uganda Law Society-ULS taking over leadership from Pheona Nabaasa Wall.

With 1,025 votes, Oundo defeated five contestants at the climax of an event held at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe on Saturday. His closest challenger Diana Ninsiima Kibuuka had 723 votes, followed by Diana Angwech with 151 votes, Chemisto Suaib who had 133 votes, Olivia Kyarimpa with 52 votes and Mukuve Mugaga with 15 votes.

Oundo ran a campaign hinged on four areas; a member-focused and benevolent ULS, advocating for the rule of law and fair administration of justice, protecting and expanding Uganda’s legal practice environment so that it can interact with the region in a more valuable way and having active and thriving members at all levels.

He however emphasised the need to address members’ welfare and disengagement from ULS. On September 2 during the ULS presidential debate, Oundo noted that “if we handle members’ welfare properly, all members will collectively rally behind the injustices that we face as a society together.”

Ninsiima conceded defeat by saying, “I leave this experience richer and with the conviction that the society is made up of enormous talent in its members. We must continue to support the Uganda Law Society through our participation and engagement…We pledge our support to President Oundo for one ULS.”

Oundo is the outgoing President of the East Africa Law Society (EALS), an association of 25,000 lawyers from the member states of the East African Community. He is also a senior partner at Citadel Advocates, formerly Oundo and Co. Advocates and has experience of over ten years in project finance as a Certified Public Private Partnership Specialist.

Before joining private practice, he worked at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development as a legal counsel with the Privatisation Unit and with the Department of Project analysis and public-private partnerships. He also served as a member of the Board of Uganda Railways Corporation for three years.

Oundo holds a Masters of Laws in Petroleum Law and Policy with distinction from the University of Dundee in United Kingdom, a Master of Laws (Makerere University), Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Law Development Center and Bachelor of Laws Degree from Uganda Christian University.

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