The Ugandan government is preparing to introduce a controversial bill that would re-authorize military tribunals to try civilians, reversing a January 2024 Supreme Court ruling that declared the practice unconstitutional. According to officials, the draft legislation is awaiting cabinet approval before being tabled in parliament. If passed, the law would allow civilians to be prosecuted in military courts for specific offences, such as illegal possession of firearms or crimes deemed threats to national security.
The proposed law has triggered widespread alarm among human rights advocates and opposition politicians, who argue it could be used to silence political dissent and intimidate critics of President Yoweri Museveni’s government, which has ruled Uganda since 1986. One of the most prominent cases affected by the Supreme Court ruling was that of Dr. Kizza Besigye, Museveni’s former ally turned longtime political rival. Besigye was arrested in Kenya in November 2023, extradited to Uganda, and charged in a military court-martial with illegal possession of firearms, among other offences. He was detained for nearly five months before the court ruling forced his case to be transferred to civilian courts.
Now, more than a year after his arrest, Besigye and others in similar positions may once again face military prosecution if the new legislation is passed. The government insists the bill is intended to bolster national security, especially in handling crimes involving weapons or threats to the armed forces. However, critics point to Uganda’s history of military courts being used to detain and prosecute opposition members, journalists, and activists under vague or politically motivated charges.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have urged Ugandan lawmakers to reject the bill, citing concerns over due process and the independence of military tribunals. As Uganda prepares for upcoming elections, opposition leaders warn that reinstating military trials for civilians could be used to undermine democratic freedoms and restrict opposition campaigning.
