Uganda’s parliament has passed the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025, granting military courts sweeping powers to try civilians accused of crimes linked to the army. Critics call the bill a dangerous backslide that undermines both human rights and Uganda’s own Supreme Court.
The bill—now awaiting President Yoweri Museveni’s signature—directly defies a landmark January 2025 Supreme Court ruling that found military trials of civilians unconstitutional and ordered all such cases transferred to civilian courts.
Museveni, who vowed to change the law after that ruling, now faces calls from rights groups to respect the court’s decision and uphold due process.
“Military courts in Uganda are notorious for lacking independence and fairness,” said Human Rights Watch (HRW). “They have long served as tools of repression, particularly against political opponents of President Museveni.”
One prominent case: opposition leader Kizza Besigye was charged before a military court in November 2024. Although his case was eventually moved to a civilian court, his lawyer, Eron Kiiza, was jailed by a military tribunal for contempt.
The timing of this legislation—just months ahead of Uganda’s 2026 general elections—raises fears of renewed crackdowns on dissent. Already, journalists and opposition supporters report beatings, arbitrary detentions, and abductions.
Violation of the African Charter
Legal experts warn the bill runs afoul of Uganda’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Uganda is a signatory. The Charter guarantees the right to a fair trial before an independent and impartial tribunal (Article 7), the right to liberty and security (Article 6), and the right to equality before the law (Article 3).
Military courts by nature lack the independence and guarantees of due process that civilians are entitled to under the Charter. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has repeatedly stressed that military courts should never have jurisdiction over civilians, regardless of the offense.
By reintroducing this practice, Uganda’s government is trampling on both its constitution and its international commitments, effectively placing political opponents—and any civilian—at risk of arbitrary detention and unfair trials. Rights groups are urging President Museveni to reject the bill and to cease the ongoing repression against political opponents. Failure to do so, they warn, will erode the rule of law and further entrench Uganda’s slide toward authoritarianism.
