Chairpersons of the Court Martial and military prosecutors have been urged to uphold fairness, impartiality, and justice in the administration of military law to reinforce discipline and professionalism within the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF).
The call was made by the Joint Staff Training and Doctrine, Brigadier General Wycliff Keita, during the opening of an eight-day Legal Services Induction Training at the Junior Staff College in Jinja. The training brings together court chairpersons and military prosecutors for a refresher on legal procedures and standards guiding military justice.
Brig Gen Keita emphasized that those entrusted with administering military justice carry a critical responsibility that directly affects discipline within the UPDF and public confidence in the institution. He noted that decisions by military courts must be strictly guided by the law and evidence presented before them.
“Those entrusted with administering military justice must at all times remain fair, impartial, and just, guided by the evidence before court and the law, not personal interest or external influence,” Brig Gen Keita said.
He described the training as timely, coming after a Supreme Court decision that set new standards for Uganda’s military court system, and encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained in their daily duties.
The Commandant of the Legal Training Centre, Colonel Susan Mwanga, said the induction training aims to strengthen the professional capacity of those involved in military justice and ensure uniform application of legal procedures across military courts.
“This course is intended to refresh participants on correct legal processes and strengthen their ability to dispense justice professionally within the military justice system,” Col Mwanga said.
The training was attended by the Joint Staff Legal Services Brig Gen Moses Wandera, senior and junior officers from the Junior Staff College, as well as chairpersons and military prosecutors of the Court Martial.