Kampala, Uganda | Kioga County Member of Parliament, Hon. Okot Bitek Junior, has launched a blistering critique of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs following the passage of a contentious bill that reinstates the military’s authority to try civilians in court.
Parliament passed the controversial Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on Tuesday, May 20, sparking backlash from opposition legislators and civil society organizations who say it reverses key constitutional protections and undermines the independence of the judiciary.
The new law grants military courts jurisdiction over civilians alleged to be in association with individuals subject to military law and mandates that presiding officers be legally trained.
During Tuesday’s plenary session, Okot Bitek took to the floor to formally present a Minority Report opposing the enactment of the bill.
In his presentation, he argued that the General Court Martial (GCM) must remain subordinate to the High Court as established by the Constitution.
Granting the GCM powers to try capital offences, he said, would be unconstitutional and an affront to the principles of judicial hierarchy.
He further asserted that military courts lack the impartiality and independence required of a competent tribunal under Uganda’s legal framework.
According to Okot Bitek, their very nature renders them incapable of offering fair hearings, making them unconstitutional and in violation of the principles of natural justice.
The Kioga MP also raised concerns over procedural shortcomings, urging fellow legislators to reject the bill on grounds of inadequate public participation and consultation.
He contended that a law of such gravity required meaningful engagement with citizens, stakeholders, and legal experts before being tabled for enactment.
In a strongly-worded open letter issued shortly after the bill’s passage, Okot Bitek accused members of the Defense and Internal Affairs Committee of placing regime loyalty above constitutionalism and the public interest.
He said the committee had effectively secured a “dubious place in history” by endorsing legislation that militarizes the lives of ordinary Ugandans.
He lamented that, despite public outcry and a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year barring military courts from trying civilians, Parliament had proceeded to revive the same contested practice.
He added that persistent rumors of a Shs 100 million payoff to legislators backing the bill further tainted the process, even though such claims remain unverified.
Okot Bitek warned that similar moves in the past had resulted in political fallout, referencing the fates of former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and the late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah, who faced backlash after supporting controversial constitutional amendments.
As one of the few MPs who walked out in protest during the final vote, Okot Bitek said he and like-minded colleagues had already been branded unpatriotic and beholden to foreign influence an expected reaction, he noted, for anyone advocating for adherence to Supreme Court judgments and the civilian nature of Uganda’s legal system.
Efforts by Dokolo Post to obtain a response from the Chairperson of the Defense and Internal Affairs Committee were unsuccessful by publication time.
President Yoweri Museveni is widely expected to assent to the bill.
