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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised Members of Parliament for approving the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill, 2025.
The legislation extends the jurisdiction of military courts to try civilians involved in serious offences under specific circumstances. These include possession of military equipment or collaboration with military personnel in crimes such as treason and murder.
Addressing a leaders’ meeting at Timnah Nursery and Primary School in Mabaale village, Luwero district, on 21st May 2025, during a tour assessing the Parish Development Model (PDM) and other wealth creation initiatives, President Museveni explained that the bill was necessary to prevent conflicts between civilian courts, the army, and Parliament.
“There was going to be a serious problem because some people were saying if a soldier commits a crime such as killing, theft or rape, they should be taken to the sub-county courts instead of court martial. Those who were involved have to repent. But Parliament has saved us the embarrassment,” he said.
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Upholding peace as a pillar of development
President Museveni emphasised the importance of maintaining peace as foundational to Uganda’s development.
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“When we came from the bush, we decided even a person who is not a soldier but uses a gun to commit a crime will be charged in the army courts,” he stated.
This firm stance and the practice of “clean politics” since 1986 have ensured Uganda’s relative peace amidst regional instability. He noted that neighbouring countries rich in minerals and oil suffer conflict, driving refugees—now numbering 1.8 million—to seek safety in Uganda.
NRM’s commitment to unity and transformation
The President reaffirmed the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) dedication to national unity and integration, contrasting it with sectarian divisions.
He outlined the NRM’s four guiding principles: Patriotism, Pan Africanism, socio-economic transformation, and democracy. These tenets, he said, are crucial for Uganda’s ongoing progress and wealth creation efforts.