Uganda to Try Civilians in Military Courts

May 21, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

Ugandan lawmakers passed a government-backed bill to authorise civilian trials in military courts, defying widespread criticism by opposition figures and others who called it a backward gesture.

The contentious legislation was introduced earlier this year after the Supreme Court ruled that civilians can’t be court-martialled, questioning the competence of untrained military officers to dispense justice.

The bill states that civilians can be court-martialled if their alleged offences are “in support of or in association with persons subject to military law.” It also says that presiding officers must be qualified in law.

But opposition figures, rights activists, and others insist such legislation is an anti-democratic effort as the East African country heads into elections scheduled for 2026. Human rights organisation Amnesty International has warned that military courts could help “entrench repression ahead of the 2026 elections.”

President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African country since 1986, is expected to sign the bill within days. The president and his son, army commander Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, had condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to effectively disband court-martials. Days after that ruling, government officials launched the process of introducing legislation to keep military courts active.