Museveni signs controversial UPDF Amendment Act into law

President Yoweri Museveni has assented to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Act, 2025, a controversial piece of legislation that allows for the trial of civilians in military courts despite a prior Supreme court ruling declaring the practice unconstitutional.

The announcement was made today, Monday, through parliament’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, which posted screenshots of the signed Act. The development follows the May passage of the Bill by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) lawmakers, who leveraged their parliamentary majority to push it through despite widespread public and legal opposition.

The amended law introduces sweeping changes to the military justice system, including the creation of a Directorate of Military Prosecutions. The director must be a serving officer of at least Colonel rank and qualified to be appointed a High court judge, an attempt, government argues, to professionalize the military prosecution process.

One of the most contentious provisions is Section 117A, which introduces Schedule B listing “military stores” including ceremonial shoes and uniforms as exclusive property of the Defence Forces. Section 83 introduces Schedule 7A, categorizing pistols and similar weapons as restricted items under military control.

The law also codifies an appellate structure for military court decisions, establishing a judicial ladder that ascends from the Unit Court Martial to the Division Court Martial, the General Court Martial, the Court of Appeal, and ultimately, the Supreme court.

According to Section 202C, members of the court martial are mandated to be independent and impartial, and not subject to military command in the exercise of their judicial functions.

Additionally, the chairperson of a Unit Court Martial must now hold a Bachelor of Laws degree and a postgraduate diploma in legal practice, a shift from previous standards, which were seen as legally lax.

The Act appears to directly respond to the landmark Supreme court judgment in Attorney General v. Hon. Michael Kabaziguruka, which held that trying civilians in military courts under the previous UPDF Act was unconstitutional.

Opposition MPs and civil society actors have denounced the new law as a legislative affront to that ruling, vowing to mount a fresh legal challenge, arguing that the government had sidestepped meaningful public consultation and ignored constitutional safeguards.

President Museveni, however, defended the legislation while addressing residents in Greater Luwero district.

“There was going to be a serious problem,” Museveni said. “Some people were saying that if a soldier commits crimes such as murder, theft, or rape, they should be taken to sub-county (civilian) courts instead of court martial. Those who were involved have to repent. There was going to be a serious collision between the army, parliament, and the courts of law, but they have saved us from embarrassment.”

He added that the law would help curb misuse of military equipment and bolster efforts to combat armed criminality.