Uganda's Parliament Passes Controversial UPDF Amendment Bill, Granting Military Courts Sweeping Powers Over Civilians

Strategic Insights -

Uganda's Parliament has passed the contentious UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025, granting military courts sweeping powers to try civilians under certain circumstances, contravening a Supreme Court ruling just 109 days ago. The move has been met with opposition from lawmakers, who have vowed to challenge the law in court. The bill, which awaits President Museveni's assent, gives military tribunals jurisdiction over civilians found in possession of restricted weapons or accused of collaborating with soldiers in serious crimes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025, grants military courts sweeping powers to try civilians under certain circumstances, a move that directly contradicts a Supreme Court ruling issued just 109 days ago.
  • Clauses 29 and 30 of the Act give military tribunals jurisdiction over civilians found in possession of restricted weapons or accused of collaborating with soldiers in serious crimes.
  • The bill, which awaits President Museveni's assent, has been met with opposition from lawmakers, who have vowed to challenge the law in court.
  • Opposition leader Joel Ssenyonyi has denounced the bill as a 'grave constitutional breach' and vowed a joint opposition legal challenge.
  • Military courts 'cannot be impartial and independent, thereby making them unconstitutional and offensive to the principles of fair hearing and natural justice', according to MP Moses Okot Bitek.
  • The Supreme Court's landmark ruling of January 31, 2025, declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional and ordered all such cases to be transferred to civilian courts.
  • Analysts maintain that the UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025, has broader political implications, including potentially giving the government legal cover to silence dissent and intimidate the opposition.
  • The law could be used to 'toggle' or switch the human rights legal framework to belittle dissenting reactions against the government.

Statistics:

  • 109 days: the time elapsed since the Supreme Court issued a ruling declaring the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.
  • 2 clauses: Clauses 29 and 30 of the Act give military tribunals jurisdiction over civilians found in possession of restricted weapons or accused of collaborating with soldiers in serious crimes.
  • 1 Supreme Court ruling: declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.

Sources:

  • [Ugandan Parliament]
  • [Daily Monitor, opinion by Denis Kusaasira]