By BM
In a dramatic digital farewell that has stirred waves across Uganda’s media and legal circles, exiled Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde has officially shut down the once-powerful WhatsApp group “Chase That Story”, ending a six-year run of fierce news-breaking, opinion-sharing, and behind-the-scenes storytelling.
Ssemakadde, now living in self-imposed exile since late 2024 due to alleged political persecution, announced the closure early Saturday morning in a message laced with nostalgia, spiritual reflection, and subtle melancholy.
“Gone are the days when we were close, or even too close, some might say professionally and personally,” he wrote. “This chat group has reached its use-by date and should be archived immediately.”
The group, created on February 5, 2019, at the peak of the Joint Staff Associations (MUASA-MASA-NUEI) strike, was born out of a media crisis and quickly became a safe haven for reporters, legal analysts, and public intellectuals.
Under the informal banner of the #StoryChasers, members shared leaks, debated breaking events, and dissected Uganda’s most pressing legal and political dramas.
From the Stella Nyanzi court battles to the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Chase the Story was more than a WhatsApp group it was Uganda’s unofficial digital newsroom.
Exile and Evolution: Ssemakadde, one of the country’s most outspoken legal minds, has been in exile following a period of escalating state scrutiny and threats allegedly tied to his criticism of judicial corruption and political repression.
He was elected President of the Uganda Law Society in September 2024 in an unprecedented event that cemented his influence within Uganda’s legal community.
His decision to close the group from exile speaks to deeper shifts not just in his personal journey, but in the media landscape at large.
“The news ecology has vastly changed… our careers too have also grown and taken us to very different paths since then,” he reflected.
Quoting Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, Ssemakadde framed the move as part of life’s natural ebb and flow “a time to be silent and a time to speak.”
He invited members to use the final one week of the group’s existence to reminisce, reconcile, and celebrate their shared digital legacy.
A Digital Curtain Call: In its prime, Chase the Story blurred the lines between traditional and citizen journalism.
It was loud, messy, and electrical times controversial, often informative, and always fast. From breaking scoops to chaotic late-night debates, it captured the rawness of Uganda’s media spirit in real time.
But like many great collaborations, it was not immune to fatigue.
Ssemakadde admitted the group had become a “source of grief and annoyance” for many, its original purpose eroded by evolving media dynamics and internal divisions.
Still, he signed off not in bitterness, but with affection and humility.
“Too bad I am not currently in Uganda, otherwise we would have arranged a wonderful reunion… the hits & misses, the highs & lows, love won & lost, grudges formed & forgiven.”
As the countdown to the final shutdown begins, Chase That Story will be remembered not just as a WhatsApp group but as a digital movement that dared to speak, challenge, and chase the truth, one message at a time.
