Members of Parliament belonging to Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) have been summoned to State House, Entebbe, for a special caucus meeting scheduled for Friday, May 2, 2025, at noon.
The announcement was made on Monday morning by Government Chief Whip and NRM Parliamentary Caucus Chairperson, Denis Hamson Obua.
“This serves to inform you that the NRM Parliamentary Caucus shall meet on Friday, 2nd May 2025, at State House, Entebbe, at 12:00 PM,” Obua stated. An official notice is expected to follow, and members have been asked to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Although the agenda has not been explicitly disclosed, the meeting comes at a time when the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill is under intense scrutiny in Parliament.
Cabinet is set to conclude deliberations on the proposed amendment today. If approved, it would reintroduce provisions allowing civilians to be tried in military courts — a controversial move following a 2021 Supreme Court ruling that deemed such practices unconstitutional.
On April 17, 2025, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao briefed Parliament on efforts to revise the UPDF Act. He revealed that the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025, had been drafted by the Directorate of the First Parliamentary Counsel and submitted to the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs for review.
Should the ministry endorse the contents, the bill will be presented to Cabinet for final approval before reaching Parliament. This proposed bill replaces the earlier UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was withdrawn to align with the Supreme Court’s guidance in Attorney General vs. Hon. Michael Kabaziguruka, Constitutional Appeal No. 02 of 2021. In that landmark case, the Court found that the trial of civilians in military courts violated Article 28 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair and impartial hearing.
Minister Mao emphasized that the revised bill addresses several key issues, including: The structure and jurisdiction of military courts, Individuals subject to military law, Exceptional circumstances under which civilians could fall under military jurisdiction, Management of arms, ammunition, and classified stores, and Appeals processes from military courts to civilian courts.
The practice of trying civilians before military courts has long been a source of controversy in Uganda. Initially intended to adjudicate cases involving armed forces personnel under military law, these courts have over the years tried civilians particularly in cases related to alleged possession of military equipment, firearms, or ammunition.
Human rights advocates have consistently criticized these practices, arguing that military courts, being part of the executive branch and chaired by military officers, lack the independence and impartiality required for fair civilian trials.
The 2021 Supreme Court ruling reaffirmed earlier Constitutional Court decisions that military courts are unsuitable for civilian trials, mandating significant reforms. The new UPDF Amendment Bill is seen as a critical test of the government’s commitment to upholding constitutional protections and enforcing judicial rulings.
