President Museveni has praised the 11th Parliament for passing the UPDF Amendment Bill, 2025 on civilian trials in military courts.
Addressing the nation during his annual State of the Nation Address, the President called the UPDF “a powerful pillar of the state” that should never be tied down by civilian procedures.
“It’s not a company. It’s the might of the state. Let the army do what the army must do,” he said.
Museveni applauded the Speaker and the NRM MPs for holding the fort.
Parliament in May passed the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025, that will see civilians tried in the courts martial.
The Bill introduces sweeping reforms to the military justice system, restructures health services for armed forces personnel, and streamlines veterans’ affairs. It establishes a Directorate of Military Prosecutions to professionalise the process.
It also protects against premature execution of a death sentence until it is confirmed by the Supreme Court.
Additionally, the Bill sets out clear apparent process for courts martial decisions; from Unit Court Martial to the Division Court Martial, from Division Court Martial to the General Court Martial, from General Court Martial to the Court of Appeal, and finally to the Supreme Court.
Presenting the motion on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, in a plenary session chaired by Speaker Anita Among, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Jacob Oboth, said that the Bill is not about subjecting civilians to military courts arbitrarily, but targets those who engage in military-related offences.
“This law addresses civilians who acquire arms or equipment used for violence, those who masquerade as militants, and those who commit offences in collaboration with military personnel. I want to dispel fears that this law targets all Ugandans,” Oboth said.
During his address in Kololo yesterday, the President also lauded the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), now in its third year, noting that by the end of the 2024/2025 financial year, government spending on the program will total UGX 3.3 trillion.
“This is money being directly injected into rural households to lift poor families out of subsistence. We are already seeing farmers gaining significantly,” he said.
Museveni announced that Uganda’s economy is currently growing at an average of 6.7% per annum, with projections hitting 7% in the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
“This is before oil. With oil, we are going to grow in double digits. Uganda’s social and economic transformation is now unstoppable,” he declared.
He affirmed that Uganda has officially reached lower middle-income status, with a GDP per capita of USD 1,263, ranking the country seventh among the fastest-growing economies globally.
Next Week’s Budget Speech to Focus on Anti-Corruption and EAC Integration
The President also hinted that his upcoming budget address will concentrate on combating corruption and strengthening regional cooperation through the East African Community (EAC).
“I will use the budget speech next week to lay out our anti-corruption strategy and push forward the goal of regional integration,” he said.
Parliament Speaker Rt. Hon. Anita Among used the occasion to update the nation on the 2024/2025 legislative year, describing it as productive and impactful.
“We held 75 plenary sittings, passed 35 bills, concluded three petitions, adopted 53 reports, and passed 45 resolutions,” she noted.
Two Members of Parliament including Hon. Akens Grace in Gabirano and Hon. Arias Nola also took oath during the session.
