Police have mounted heavy security and barricaded access roads to Parliament Avenue in Kampala as debate intensifies on the contentious UPDF Amendment Bill, 2025.
Individuals, including Members of Parliament, are being asked to present identification before accessing the area.
This comes as the joint Legal and Defence committee enters the second day of its deliberations on the bill, which proposes to grant the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) jurisdiction to try civilians in the General Court Martial.
On the floor, Tororo District Woman MP Sarah Opendi MP raised concerns about the heightened security deployment at Parliament indicating she was asked for a national ID.
However, Speaker Anita Among downplayed her concerns, asking Ms Opendi not to divert the house.
The committee is today expected to interface with key witnesses and stakeholders, including representatives from political parties, to gather views and concerns about the bill.
The proposal has sparked considerable debate, with critics warning it could expand military influence over civilian justice.
Police have not issued an official statement on the security deployment, but the heightened presence suggests anticipation of protest or disruption as pressure builds around the bill’s implications for civil liberties and judicial independence.
The UPDF Amendment Bill 2025 seeks to expand the mandate of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces by granting the General Court Martial jurisdiction to try civilians accused of offences deemed to fall under military law, such as unlawful possession of firearms.
Proponents argue the move would strengthen national security and streamline prosecution of serious crimes, while critics warn it threatens civilian rights, undermines the independence of the judiciary, and risks militarising justice.
The bill is currently under scrutiny by a joint parliamentary committee on legal and defence affairs.
This breaking news story that will be updated