Uganda's parliament ignores rule of law
Rule of law in Uganda is precarious — injustices, atrocities and oppression abnormalities are the norm.
Parliament has passed the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, which targets dissenting voices, activists and political opponents. This comes ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2026.
The draconian Bill turned into law comes amid the abductions and torture of activists and other people who oppose the government in the Buganda region. Key opposition figures such as Achileo Kivumbi, Edward
Ssebuufu (
also known as Eddy Mutwe) and Noah Mutwe are among the thousands who have been subjected to such treatment.
Ssebuufu, a bodyguard for National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, went missing on 27 April after being abducted by armed men. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's military chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni, said he was holding Ssebuufu in his
Days later, another of Kyagulanyi's bodyguards, Noah Mutwe, was abducted on 15 May by armed men driving a double-cab without number plates. He appeared in court on charges of incitement to violence, hate speech, malicious information and conspiracy to commit a felony related to social media messages.
The NUP's head of security, Achileo Kivumbi, was arrested in August 2024 on charges of being in possession of military attire — a T-shirt and cap. He appeared in a general court martial chaired by a brigadier.
Veteran opposition politician Kizza Besigye was detained in Kenya and taken back to Uganda where he was transferred to a military court. No extradition proceedings were followed and Kenya denied knowledge of the abduction. He was charged with treason in a civilian court after his case was transferred from a military tribunal.
In 2018, Kyagulanyi was first taken to a military court and then transferred to a civilian court on charges of treason.
The general court martial is a specialised court set up by the legislative arm to deal with uniformed and military discipline in the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces, not civilians.
What is so dangerous about this situation is that martial law is used specifically against Museveni's opponents
In January this year, in
On 21 May, contrary to the court ruling, parliament passed the Bill allowing military trials of civilians.
Museveni and his son still insist on trying civilians in military courts, stating that the move stabilises the country.
The president is on record stating that 'civilian courts are clogged with the many court cases of the whole country like murder, rape, assaults, robbery, land matters, divorce matters emphasising that they could not handle gun-wielding criminals quickly'.
'Yet for stabilisation you need speed. Moreover these individuals, although not soldiers, voluntarily and with evil intentions acquired killing instruments that should be the monopoly of the armed forces, governed by the relevant laws.'
Museveni's statements hold little substance and 'these individuals' are political opponents and civilians who should not appear in the specialised general court martial. It is against the law and unconstitutional.
The legality of this military court was tested in Uganda Law Society vs Attorney General and in 2nd Lt. Ogwang Ambrose vs Uganda. But now Museveni has passed the 2025 Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill.
It's clear that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) of the Museveni regime is using the military court as a tool against its political opponents to entrench fear among opposition party members and Uganda's voters.
The NRM government has been using political corruption and violence to suppress opposition parties and voters for the past 40 years.
My fear is the wrath that is being built and will be unleashed against opponents of the NRM regime ahead of the 2026 elections.
Robert Kigongo is a sustainable development analyst.
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