The National Unity Platform (NUP), the leading opposition party in Uganda, has vehemently criticized the Ugandan Parliament’s handling of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill, calling it a “sham consultation” designed to rush through unconstitutional legislation.
The party’s secretary general, David Lewis Rubongoya, expressed outrage at what he perceived as a deliberate attempt to stifle public input on a controversial bill that would allow civilians to be tried in military courts.
“Very unfortunate to see the Parliament of Uganda behave in this manner,” he said in a post on X. “This morning, we received this invitation to appear and give our views on the UPDF Amendment Bill. The invitation was for today at 9:00am!”
He also highlighted inconsistencies in the Parliamentary procedure, pointing to an advertisement published in newspapers the day before, requesting public feedback by the close of business the same day.
Furthermore, he claimed the link provided for accessing the bill was non-functional. “Yesterday, an advert ran in the newspapers asking the public to give their views by close of business today. The link that was provided through which people would access the law wasn’t working. In fact, I tried to check last evening, and the website was off,” he stated.
He believes the rushed timeline and technical difficulties are indicative of a deliberate effort to bypass proper scrutiny and push through a law they deem unconstitutional. “You can see how eager they are to pass this unconstitutional law even if it means violating every law in the book!” he added.
He confirmed they have responded to the invitation, requesting sufficient time to prepare a comprehensive response to what they describe as a “very problematic law” that seeks to “illegally take civilians back to military courts.”
This concern stems from previous experiences, as the NUP claims its members have been subjected to persecution through the military court system. “NUP members have been gravely persecuted through the military courts – for whatever worth it may have, we want to be on record about our strong objection,” he concluded.
The UPDF Amendment Bill has raised concerns among human rights organizations and opposition groups, who fear it could be used to silence dissent and further militarize civilian life.
The NUP’s strong condemnation of the consultation process further fuels the debate surrounding the bill, raising questions about the government’s commitment to transparency and due process in the legislative process.
The controversy surrounding the bill is likely to escalate as it moves through the parliamentary process.
