Parliamentary Tensions Rise as UPDF Amendment Bill Sparks Heated Debate in Entebbe Retreat

 Uganda – A storm is brewing within Uganda's parliamentary corridors as ruling party legislators convened an emergency retreat in Entebbe to deliberate on the contentious UPDF Amendment Bill 2025, with President Yoweri Museveni personally chairing the high-stakes discussions.  

The bill, tabled by Defense Minister Jacob Oboth Oboth, proposes sweeping changes to military justice administration—most controversially seeking to reinstate the use of civilian personnel in military courts. This comes barely six months after the January 31 Constitutional Court ruling that declared such practices unconstitutional.  

 
Despite parliamentary rules requiring 45-day committee scrutiny for such legislation, Speaker Anita Among has ordered expedited processing, with the bill scheduled for voting tomorrow—just one week after its introduction. This abrupt timeline has drawn sharp criticism from opposition MPs who boycotted today's retreat in protest.  

Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua defended the rushed process, stating the retreat allowed "intensive consultation" ahead of tomorrow's vote. However, legal experts warn the hurried approach undermines proper legislative scrutiny.  

 
Opposition leaders have vowed to challenge what they call a "militarization of justice", with shadow cabinet members preparing counter-arguments for tomorrow's plenary. "This bill seeks to overturn a constitutional judgment through the backdoor," one opposition MP told our sources.  

As Parliament prepares for what promises to be a heated session tomorrow, civil society groups are mobilizing to petition the Constitutional Court should the bill pass in its current form.  

President Museveni's personal involvement in the retreat signals the bill's strategic importance to the administration, with observers suggesting the amendments aim to shore up legal frameworks ahead of the 2026 elections.  

The nation now watches anxiously as Uganda's legislature races toward a decision that could fundamentally reshape civil-military justice relations.  

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