New Court Martial Members Take Oath

Nine members of the General Court Martial have been sworn in today by the principle Judge. 

The ceremony took place at the Supreme Court Conference Hall in Kampala, just seven days before the January 15, 2026 general elections.

The swearing-in ceremony was presided over by the Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo. 

The timing of the swearing-in barely a week to the general elections is likely to attract criticism from government critics, given past accusations that the General Court Martial has been used to prosecute political opponents. The government has consistently denied these allegations.

The swearing-in follows appointments made by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on November 25, 2025, under the UPDF Act, upon advice of the Judicial Service Commission.

The President appointed Brigadier General Richard Tukacungurwa as Chairperson of the General Court Martial, replacing Brigadier Freeman Robert Mugabe. The appointment was communicated to the Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Brigadier General Tukacungurwa, an advocate of the High Court who has served for more than a decade as a Judge Advocate, will head an entirely new panel of senior officers. The members include Colonel Wankandya Simon Tusah, Colonel Asha Patra, Colonel Kangwamu Fredrick, Colonel Mugisha Raphael, Lieutenant Colonel Igambi Mohammedie Nasser, Major Amodoi Samuel Moses, Major Arihaihi Emmanuel, Major Nyombi Abubaker, and Major Chemtai Denis.

The President also appointed Lieutenant Colonel Drani Epalu David as head of the Fourth Division Court Martial and Lieutenant Colonel Mulyanti Yaqoub Hassan to lead the One SFG Court. 

This marks the first time Court Martial members are being sworn in under the Judiciary’s supervision. Previously, military court members were sworn in internally, often at Makindye, with the Court Martial chairperson presiding. The changes follow a January 31, 2025 Supreme Court judgment that rendered military courts inactive. In a decision led by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo—who is set to retire on January 18, 2026—the court ruled that civilians can no longer be tried in military courts, declaring the long-standing practice unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court found that military courts lack legal competence to try civilians, citing the absence of mandatory legal training for panel members, lack of security of tenure, inadequate facilities for defence preparation, and the absence of an independent appellate mechanism. The court ordered all Court Martial proceedings to cease and directed that pending cases involving civilians be transferred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for handling in civilian courts.

Following the ruling, Court Martial activities were suspended for months. In response, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka introduced amendments to the UPDF Act, which were passed by Parliament and later assented to by President Museveni. The amendments reinstated civilian trials in military courts under a narrow exception allowed by the Supreme Court, where a civilian is jointly charged with a soldier who is the principal offender.

The court cautioned that this exception must not be abused to reintroduce widespread civilian trials through a legal loophole. The constitutional challenge originated from a successful appeal by former MP Michael Kabaziguruka against the Attorney General, after his treason trial before the Court Martial was declared a nullity.