Opposition members of the parliament led by the Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi have stormed out of parliament in protest of the UPDF Amendment Bill 2025 which is set for the first and second reading today. The MPs have accused the government of rushing and fast-tracking a bill they consider unconstitutional and goes against the recent Supreme Court ruling on the same.
The controversial bill, consisting of 143 pages and 84 clauses, proposes significant changes to the UPDF Act, including new provisions for trying civilians under military law in undefined “exceptional circumstances.”
The bill also lists items whose possession could trigger military prosecution. These include not only weapons like AK-47s and pistols some of which are licensed under the Firearms Act but also substances like ammonium nitrate, which is widely used in agriculture and industry. Certain clothing items, such as “Kaunda suits” in specific colors, are now designated as UPDF-exclusive regalia under Schedules 7A and 7B of the bill.