Embattled Uganda Law Society (ULS) President, Isaac Ssemakadde, has finally opened up on the allegations of emotional abuse and exploitation levelled against him by twin sisters Yvonne Babirye and Cynthia Nakato, who previously worked with him during his ULS presidential campaign and afterwards in the Radical New Bar Presidency.
In a lengthy joint statement released via their socials on Friday, April 18, 2025, titled “Our Experience with the ULS President,” Yvonne (Babirye), speaking on her twin sister’s behalf, accused Ssemakadde of emotional manipulation, verbal abuse, and exploitation under the guise of professional collaboration.
The twins went ahead to cite unmet promises of contractual employment during their work with Ssemakade, suggestive remarks, and being subjected to demeaning insults, which they said was unfair treatment from a person of his calibre, both as an individual, human rights activist, and as ULS President.
However, responding to the alarming saga, Ssemakadde released a brief statement on Sunday, April 20, declining to address the detailed allegations, labelling the matters as a private domestic issue and not fit for discussion and debate in the public domain.
“To Cynthia Nakato and Yvonne Babirye, I extend my sympathy for your predicament. However, this is a private matter within my household,” Ssemakadde said in a note posted via his X social media account.
He added, “I urge all concerned people, particularly those armchair feminists and self-appointed guardians of morality, to leave my household alone. I don’t intend to make public what is quintessentially private. There will be no further communication on this subject from me unless the government is involved.”
The sisters had also alleged that Ssemakadde promised them key roles in his post-ULS election strategy, verbally assigning them leadership titles and initiating discussions about salaries that were never formalized.
But to their dismay, they claim their relationship with Ssemakadde later turned toxic. Yvonne would later cite in the 9-page statement an incident where the Radical New Bar boss allegedly threatened her with eviction and hurled degrading language after she had temporarily moved into his apartment.
But Ssemakadde downplayed the seriousness of the situation, calling it a “personal matter” and insisting that the twins were simply misled by their own expectations.
The RNB leader’s story with the twin sisters has since sparked debate online, with some observers accusing Ssemakadde of deflecting accountability, while others defended his right to maintain privacy in personal matters.
