The Ugandan parliament has passed a bill permitting military tribunals to try civilians, a practice previously abolished by the country’s Supreme Court for lacking legal competence.
The practice, used over the past two decades, has long drawn criticism from opposition politicians and human rights campaigners, who accuse the government of using courts-martial to silence dissent—a claim the government denies.
According to lawmakers, the bill now awaits assent from President Yoweri Museveni to become law and take effect as a legal framework.
The reform bill, announced in a statement shared by parliament on its social media handle on Tuesday, sparked protests from opposition leaders who said the move violates a Supreme Court ruling in January that banned such trials.
During a debate on the legislation, opposition politician Jonathan Odur described the bill as “shallow, unreasonable, and unconstitutional.”
“There’s no legal basis to provide for the trial of civilians in military courts,” Odur stated.
However, the head of Uganda’s military, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, praised the Speaker of Parliament and government lawmakers for passing the bill.
“Today, you proved you are fearless patriots! Uganda will remember your courage and commitment,” he posted on X.
Similarly, military spokesman Chris Magezi said the law would “deal decisively with armed violent criminals, deter the formation of militant political groups that seek to subvert democratic processes, and ensure national security is built on a firm foundation.”
In its January ruling, Uganda’s Supreme Court barred the military from trying civilians, stating that such tribunals lacked the legal competence to conduct criminal trials fairly and impartially.
The verdict forced authorities to transfer the case of opposition figure Kizza Besigye—who was facing military prosecution for treason and other offences—to a civilian court.
Besigye, who has challenged President Museveni in four presidential elections, was detained in neighbouring Kenya last year and brought back to Uganda to face a military court.
His lawyers and his party, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), maintain that the charges are politically motivated.
In 2018, opposition leader Bobi Wine also faced charges in a military court for alleged illegal possession of firearms, although the charges against the pop star-turned-politician were later dropped.
Human Rights Watch has previously criticised Uganda’s military courts, saying they fall short of international standards of competence, independence, and impartiality.
According to the rights group, the courts often rely on evidence extracted under torture and ignore other key fair trial rules—allegations the military has consistently denied.
