On Gen. Museveni’s Statement Justifying Military Trials Of Civilians

By President Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert

I read dictator Museveni’s statement in which he once again shamelessly attempts to justify his tyranny by defending the illegal and immoral trial of civilians in the military’s kangaroo courts. The statement is full of lies and contradictions and does not paint the image of what exactly happens in those ‘courts.’.

Of course, his statement comes against the backdrop of the citizens’ outcry and demand that the Supreme Court put a final end to the trial of civilians in military courts. By issuing that statement, he is intimidating the court and certainly trying to influence their ruling—or trying to ensure that they do not deliver that ruling at all!

In his desperate bid to cling to power, Museveni has made the military an instrument of oppression instead of defense. His claims that the kangaroo court martial system is about stabilizing the country are outright lies meant to mask his regime’s naked abuse of power and intimidate the people of Uganda into submission.

Despite his claim that the victims of the military’s kangaroo courts can lodge appeals in civilian courts, the Supreme Court has just declared that civilian courts have no jurisdiction over military courts and thus cannot entertain any appeals from there. Museveni’s statement is, therefore, not only false but also a deliberate attempt to mislead the public into believing there are remedies for victims of injustice in the Court Martial. There are none.

The kangaroo court martial is not an instrument of justice. It is a weapon that the regime uses to target its opponents and crush any voices of dissent. They use it to persecute and not prosecute. Today, Dr. Kizza Besigye is in detention on the orders of the military court, following his abduction in Kenya. I was arraigned before the same military court following the events in Arua. It was clear to everyone that the military itself concocted stories that I had been found with guns in my hotel room. Their objective at the time was to find every reason to detain me at Makindye military barracks, where ordinary citizens would find trouble accessing me. From that time, our supporters in the thousands have been abducted, tortured, and detained on the orders of the military court. In most cases, for being found in possession of our t-shirts, overalls, or red berets.

He knows so well that these military tribunals have zero capacity to deliver a fair trial. This is therefore not about law and order, or the administration of justice. It is about silencing the opposition and prolonging the failed regime of blood and shame!

Mr. Museveni’s praise for the “efficiency” of the kangaroo court martial stands in stark contrast to the reality on the ground. Hundreds of Ugandans have spent years in prison after being remanded there by the military tribunals, their trials deliberately delayed to punish them for standing up against the Museveni tyranny. Most of these are not criminals—they are political prisoners, innocent Ugandans whose only “crime” is opposing dictatorship.

A case in point is the 19 of our comrades who have just recently been released after four years in military detention. Since 2021, when they were abducted and jailed by the military for supporting us, their trial never kicked off until the regime forced them to plead guilty in exchange for their freedom. The 9 who refused to plead guilty are still detained, unaware of when their trial will commence. All these are patriotic freedom fighters whom the regime now attempts to discredit as “unprincipled actors.” The years they have spent behind bars belie his claim that kangaroo courts dispense speedy justice or any justice at all when it comes to his opponents.

The insistence on trying civilians in military tribunals chaired by ruthless military officers who are illiterate about the law and clueless about the mechanics of dispensing justice is a direct assault on Uganda’s Constitution and common sense. It is a deliberate attempt to erase civilian oversight and bypass accountability, and has effectively turned the military into a state within a state, loyal not to the people of Uganda but to Museveni’s dictatorship.

Civilians must be tried in civilian courts, regardless of the accusations leveled against them. The Constitution of Uganda and international human rights law are clear on this point: military courts are for military personnel, not civilians.

Trying civilians in military courts is not only illegal—it is dangerous. It creates a system where no one is safe. Today, it is opposition political leaders and activists. Tomorrow, it could be you, your family, or your neighbor falling victim. This is not justice—it is oppression!

The Museveni regime thrives on fear, lies, and division. But we, the people of Uganda, know the truth. We know that his kangaroo court martial is not about stabilizing the country but about stabilizing his grip on power. We must reject it.

We must reject the narrative that oppression and injustice are necessary for stability. True stability can only be achieved through upholding the rule of law, respecting human rights, and making a commitment to justice for all.

We continue to condemn the trial of civilians in military tribunals and call for the transfer of their cases to civilian courts so that they can receive a fair trial. All political prisoners should be released immediately and unconditionally. Justice and human rights must never be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.