President Yoweri Museveni has signed a new law permitting military courts to try civilians, Uganda’s parliament said Monday, drawing criticism from opposition leaders who say it defies a Supreme Court ruling that banned the practice.
The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Act, 2025, reinstates the military’s authority to prosecute civilians, particularly those accused of using firearms in political violence. The announcement was made via parliament’s official X account.
Rights groups and political opponents have long accused Museveni’s government of using military courts to intimidate and silence dissenters during his nearly four-decade rule. Government officials deny these claims, saying military trials are reserved for civilians engaged in armed subversion.
Uganda’s Supreme Court earlier this year ruled such prosecutions unconstitutional, prompting the government to push through new legislation restoring them. The law passed parliament last month.
Military officials praised the bill, saying it would help deter “militant political groups” aiming to undermine democracy.
The opposition argues the new law undermines the judiciary and violates the Supreme Court’s judgment. It could face further legal challenges if citizens petition the courts again.
The previous ruling had forced the state to move treason charges against former opposition leader Kizza Besigye from military to civilian court.
Bobi Wine, Uganda’s leading opposition figure and Museveni’s expected challenger in next year’s election, was also previously tried by a military tribunal on gun charges that were later dropped.