Uganda's Museveni Enacts Military Court Expansion, Draws Constitutional Challenge

President Yoweri Museveni has officially enacted the controversial Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill 2025, significantly broadening the jurisdiction of military tribunals to include civilian prosecutions under certain conditions.

The amended legislation empowers military courts to try civilians accused of possessing military-grade equipment or collaborating with soldiers in serious criminal offenses, including treason and murder. Additionally, the law stipulates that advocates qualified at the High Court level will now be appointed as judges to the General Court Martial.

The enactment has triggered immediate backlash. Opposition leader Joel Ssenyonyi denounced the law as a "rushed and draconian measure," asserting it seeks to "legitimize illegitimacy." Opposition parties and major human rights organizations have pledged to challenge the statute in court, contending it violates constitutional safeguards and undermines judicial independence.

Human rights advocates warn the law threatens to suppress dissent and weaken Uganda's judiciary, particularly following a recent Supreme Court ruling that deemed the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional. The bill passed parliament despite an opposition boycott, with the ruling National Resistance Movement leveraging its majority to secure approval, fueling concerns about eroding democratic freedoms in Uganda.