FAST & SUSPICIOUS: Date Set for Vote on UPDF Bill Sealing Trial of Civilians in Museveni Military Courts

Parliament has set the date for the passing of the controversial UPDF Amendment Bill 2025, which, among others, seeks to seal the trial of civilians in Museveni military courts. 

The bill is expected to be passed into law next week, meaning it will be processed within just one week from the date it was first tabled.

Defence and Veteran Affairs minister Jacob Oboth Oboth tabled the UPDF Amendment Bill 2025 before Parliament on May 13.

Speaker Anita Among referred the bill to the joint committee on legal and defence affairs where MPs took a few days scrutinizing the 150-page piece of legislation. 

Now, an order paper from Parliament of Uganda indicates that the bill will be presented to the committee of the whole house and put to a vote next week.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi is shocked that the order paper has been published much earlier.

“Unusually, the Order Paper for Tuesday’s Parliament Plenary sitting is out much earlier,” Ssenyonyi noted.

“The UPDF (Amendment) Bill, among others is scheduled to be passed on Tuesday morning.”

A report from the joint committee on legal and defence affairs will be presented to the committee of the whole house which will vote to adopt it before passing the bill, awaiting presidential assent. 

He also decried the lack of time for public participation and consultation on the UPDF Amendment Bill 2025 which has some really unpopular clauses seen as tools to legalize persecution of President Yoweri Museveni’s political opposition.

Museveni’s ruling NRM party has the majority it needs to push through the bill.

Besides, each NRM MP was reportedly given Shs100m, thought to be meant as a bribe for them to vote in favour of Museveni’s position on the controversial UPDF Amendment Bill 2025, particularly on the trial of civilians in military courts. (See Details Here, There and Over There).

But NRM MPs have been warned that they could be some of the victims of the new law on trial of civilians in Museveni military courts, as reported Here.

The Pearl Times has reported on the circumstances under which civilians can be tried in Museveni military courts in new proposed law. See them Here.

Also some colors of Kaunda suits could land civilians and politicians or their mobilizers in trouble with Museveni military courts if the UPDF Bill is passed into law. (See Details Here).

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