Uganda’s parliament has approved a controversial amendment that allows military courts to try civilians, sparking fierce criticism from opposition leaders who say the move violates a recent Supreme Court ruling.
The legislation, passed on Tuesday, revives a decades-old practice previously declared unconstitutional. In January, Uganda’s Supreme Court barred military tribunals from trying civilians, stating that such courts "lacked legal competence to handle criminal trials in a fair and impartial manner."
Despite the ruling, lawmakers moved forward. Parliament confirmed the bill’s passage in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), while the head of the military, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, lauded the decision: “Today, you proved you are fearless patriots! Uganda will remember your courage and commitment.”
Military spokesman Chris Magezi defended the law, saying it "will deal decisively with armed violent criminals, deter the formation of militant political groups that seek to subvert democratic processes, and ensure national security is bound on a firm foundational base."
However, opposition politicians expressed outrage. During the parliamentary debate, legislator Jonathan Odur criticized the bill as “shallow, unreasonable and unconstitutional,” adding, “There's no legal basis to provide for trial of civilians in the military court.”
The amendment now awaits President Yoweri Museveni’s assent to become law.
The Supreme Court’s January decision had led to the transfer of a high-profile case involving opposition figure Kizza Besigye from a military court to a civilian one. Besigye, who has contested President Museveni’s rule four times, was arrested in Kenya last year and extradited to Uganda to face charges, including treason. His legal team and his party, the People's Front for Freedom (PFF), maintain the charges are politically driven.
Opposition leader Bobi Wine also faced similar legal challenges when he was charged by a military court in 2018 for allegedly possessing illegal firearms—charges that were later dropped.
International rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have long condemned Uganda's military tribunals. The organization has accused them of failing to meet global standards for fair trials, citing “extracted confessions through torture” and a lack of judicial independence. The military has consistently denied these allegations.
