National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, commonly known as Bobi Wine, has criticised Members of Parliament from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) for passing the controversial Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill, 2025.
Kyagulanyi described the legislators as "greedy, selfish, and myopic," accusing them of betraying the country by endorsing a law that reintroduces the trial of civilians in military courts.
“All those greedy, selfish, myopic NRM MPs who passed the UPDF Amendment to try civilians in military courts are enemies of our country and must be seen as such!” Kyagulanyi said in a strongly worded statement released Tuesday.
Passed by Parliament last week, the UPDF Amendment Bill expands the jurisdiction of military tribunals to include civilians accused of crimes such as treason, aggravated robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms.
The move has drawn widespread criticism from opposition parties, civil society organisations, and legal experts who argue that it undermines a recent Supreme Court ruling.
On January 31, 2025, the Supreme Court declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional and ordered the repeal of all legal provisions that permitted such prosecutions. The court also directed those ongoing cases involving civilians be transferred to civilian courts—a decision hailed as a milestone for judicial independence and the rule of law.
Kyagulanyi accused the NRM of abusing its numerical strength in Parliament to override constitutional principles.
“This is yet another attempt by the regime to militarise justice, suppress dissent, and erode the rights of ordinary citizens,” he added.
Opposition MPs, led by Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, staged a dramatic walkout during the plenary session in protest of the bill.
Legislators including Wakayima Musoke (Nansana), Geoffrey Kayemba Ssolo, and Moses Okot Bitek condemned the bill as unconstitutional and warned that military courts are ill-suited to ensure impartial trials for civilians.
Despite the outcry, the NRM pushed the bill through under tight security. Second Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Moses Ali made a rare appearance during the session, a move critics interpreted as a sign of pressure from the executive.
Sports Minister Peter Ogwang also defended the bill emotionally, citing personal trauma linked to insecurity in Karamoja.
In addition to the UPDF Bill, Parliament also passed the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which restricts public funding to parties registered under the National Consultative Forum (NCF). If enacted, the law could block funding to opposition parties like NUP, which are not affiliated with the NCF or the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD).
UPC President Jimmy Akena criticised the amendment, saying it lacked proper consultation. Democratic Party legal officer Kenneth Nsubuga, however, welcomed it as a move to formalise IPOD’s legal status.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka defended the amendment, saying it aims to “reorganise and streamline” the NCF.
Both bills now await President Yoweri Museveni’s assent, which is widely expected given his public endorsement of the proposed laws.