By Alexander Luyima | Political Analyst & Human Rights Advocate

The Illusion of “Efficiency” in Uganda’s Court Martial System

When Ugandan officials boast about the “success” of military courts in reducing case backlogs, what they really mean is this: justice has been replaced with repression.

While civil courts struggle with delays, the court martial’s so-called efficiency is a facade—built on rushed trials, illegal prosecutions of civilians, and indefinite detentions without due process.

> “The lack of backlog in military courts isn’t efficiency—it’s either a rushed conviction or a politically motivated delay,” says Dr. Livingstone Ssewanyana, Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI). “When the state militarizes justice, the rule of law dies.”

Take the case of General Kale Kayihura, once Uganda’s feared police chief. Arrested in 2020 over extrajudicial killings, illegal renditions, and espionage, his trial has dragged on for years without resolution. Why? Because Uganda’s military courts serve political interests, not justice.

Muslim clerics abducted and murdered under Kayihura’s watch—labeled “terrorists” without evidence.

Rwandan refugees illegally deported to face torture in Kigali.

A case frozen in time, neither dismissed nor concluded—just like countless others.

This is not justice. This is impunity.

Karamoja: Where Military “Success” Means Mass Arrests and Extrajudicial Killings
The government proudly claims 26,000 Karamojong youth “removed from the field.” But let’s be clear:
“Removed” means detained without trial, disappeared, or killed.
No evidence. No fair hearings. Just collective punishment.

> “The military courts in Karamoja are a conveyor belt of injustice,” says Margaret Arach Orech, Director of the Victims’ Rights Foundation. “People are arrested in droves, charged with no evidence, and left to rot in jail. This isn’t crime control—it’s ethnic targeting.”

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and military courts operate as judge, jury, and executioner—violating Article 210 of Uganda’s Constitution, which bars military trials for civilians.

So where is the outcry?

Rubber-Stamp Parliament Legalizing Dictatorship

While military courts crush dissent, Uganda’s Parliament actively dismantles democracy with draconian laws:

Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 – A smokescreen to distract from failing governance.
Computer Misuse Act Amendments – Criminalizes free speech online.
NGO Act – Strangles civil society to silence critics.

> “This Parliament no longer represents Ugandans—it exists to sign Museveni’s death warrants for democracy,” says Hon. Medard Ssegona, opposition legislator and constitutional lawyer. “When you combine militarized courts with a rubber-stamp legislature, you don’t have a government—you have a dictatorship.”

Conclusion: A Nation Held Hostage by Fake Justice

Uganda’s military courts are not courts of law—they are tools of oppression.

Civilians tried illegally.

Cases like Kayihura’s left in limbo to protect regime interests.

Karamoja turned into an open-air prison.

If Uganda is to reclaim its future, three things must happen:

1. Military courts must STOP trying civilians.

2. Parliament must STOP rubber-stamping tyranny.

3. Ugandans must DEMAND real justice—not Museveni’s version of it.

The world is watching. History will judge.

Will Uganda’s conscience wake up before it’s too late?l

Follow the conversation: #MilitaryCourtsFraud #FreeUganda #StopFakeJustice

Alexander Luyima is a political analyst and human rights advocate focusing on governance and the rule of law in Africa.

Why This Matters to Every Ugandan

Are you or someone you know affected by military court abuses? Share your story.

Has your community faced mass arrests? Document and report it.

Will you stay silent as justice is sold to the highest bidder?

Speak up. The time is now.

The post How Museveni’s Regime Uses Kangaroo Courts to Silence Dissent and Bury Accountability appeared first on The Hoima Post –.

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