The Ugandan government presented a bill to its parliament on Tuesday that would grant military tribunals the authority to prosecute civilians. This development comes several months after the country’s Supreme Court declared the practice unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in January had compelled the government to transfer the trial of opposition figure and former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye to a civilian court. State prosecutors have since charged him with multiple offenses, including treason. Allies and legal representatives of Besigye, who has been defeated by President Yoweri Museveni in four elections, maintain that the accusations against him are politically motivated.
Defense Minister Jacob Marksons Oboth formally introduced the “Uganda People’s Defence Forces Bill, 2025” to the House on Tuesday. The bill has now been referred to a House committee for thorough examination.
According to the draft legislation reviewed by Reuters, civilians could face trial under military law in specific and exceptional circumstances. These include situations where individuals are found to be in “unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the defence forces.”
Besigye was forcibly taken from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, in November of last year. He was subsequently presented before a military court in neighboring Uganda a few days later, where he faced charges including the illegal possession of firearms. The Kenyan government has denied any involvement in what it described as Besigye’s abduction.
The proposed bill also encompasses crimes related to aiding or abetting soldiers in committing offenses such as treason, murder, and aggravated robbery.
Human rights advocates and opposition politicians have long accused President Museveni’s administration of utilizing military courts to prosecute opposition leaders and their supporters on charges they believe are politically driven.
David Lewis Rubongoya, a prominent figure in the National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s largest opposition party, stated that the new law would be used to “persecute regime opponents and deal with the growing resistance against the regime.”
