Uganda plans law to allow military prosecution of civilians

If successfully enacted, the new law could allow the government to take Besigye back to a military court martial.
The Ugandan government intends to introduce a law to allow military tribunals to try civilians for certain offences, even after the practice was banned by the Supreme Court.
Human rights activists and opposition politicians have long accused President Yoweri Museveni's government of using military courts to prosecute opposition leaders and supporters on politically motivated charges.
More To Read
- East Africa’s democratic backslide: Wave of arrests, repression raises alarm across region
- Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye denied bail in treason case
- Opposition leader Kizza Besigye’s bail decision expected today as he marks 147 days in detention
- Human rights activists in Kenya stage protests over Kizza Besigye's detention
- Kizza Besigye, co-accused charged with treason
- Besigye's wife speaks out on his fragile health in prison
The government denies the accusations.
In January, Uganda's Supreme Court delivered a ruling that banned military prosecutions of civilians, which forced the government to transfer the trial of opposition politician and former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye to civilian courts.
If successfully enacted, the new law could allow the government to take Besigye back to a military court martial.
The law has been drafted and is awaiting cabinet approval before it is introduced in parliament, Nobert Mao, the minister for justice and constitutional affairs, told parliament late on Thursday.
The law will define "exceptional circumstances under which a civilian may be subject to military law", he said.
Besigye, a veteran political rival of Museveni, has been in detention for nearly five months on what his lawyers say are politically motivated charges.
He was detained in neighbouring Kenya in November and subsequently transferred to Uganda, where he was charged in a military court-martial with illegal possession of firearms among other offences.
Top Stories Today
- New US Bill proposes taxing money sent by Kenyans living abroad
- Masinga Dam overflow: Garissa, Tana River on flood alert
- Sh90bn Rironi–Mau Summit road upgrade to start in July - DP Kindiki
- Senators summon CS Kagwe over leasing of state-owned sugar mills
- State unveils 15-member team to roll out new KEMIS system
- Three Mandera residents sue governor over ethnic imbalance
- Mombasa traders decry high taxes, cargo clearance delays
- Afreximbank launches Sh129bn funding kitty to empower African creatives
- Duale: Kenya to receive BCG, polio vaccines next month
- IG of Police warns budget cut will cripple operations amid security threats
- State blames Gachagua’s "unpaid" supporters for chaos at DCP party launch
- Muslims urged to prioritise helping the poor over Mecca pilgrimage
- Four fishermen killed in Turkana by suspected Ethiopian militia
- South Sudan denies rumours of President Kiir's death
- Public health facilities to pay KEMSA directly under new SHA system
- 78 foreigners arrested, 58 guns seized in the past three months in Isiolo
- Kenya leads Africa in nurse migration to US, new report shows
- ICT CS ordered to appoint Nzau Musau, Lucy Minayo to Media Complaints Commission
- Nairobi Expressway section to close from Friday for maintenance works
- Law students caught in crossfire of policy conflicts, budget cuts