The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) President, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, has described the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court on the trial of civilians in military courts as a long-overdue victory for justice and a major step toward restoring the rule of law in Uganda.
Bobi Wine’s remarks came hours after the Highest Court of Uganda on Friday ruled that it is unconstitutional for the military to subject civilians to trial in the court martial, a decision that has been widely welcomed by opposition leaders and human rights activists.
In a statement issued via his official X account, the former presidential candidate emphasized that military trials have been used as a weapon of persecution against regime opponents.
“For years, we have condemned these inherently unfair trials, which have been a key weapon of persecution wielded by the regime against its opponents,” he said, pointing out that since 2020, more than 2,000 NUP supporters have been abducted, tortured, and subjected to what he described as “sham military trials.”
The Supreme Court’s judgement, according to the NUP principal, is a vindication of the thousands who have suffered illegal prosecution before military courts. “Today’s judgment vindicates the cries of thousands who have been suffering illegal prosecution before these kangaroo courts and reaffirms what we have always said: civilians must be tried by civilians,” he stated
Kyagulanyi also welcomed the Court’s directive that all pending cases against soldiers, which should rightfully be tried in civil courts, must be transferred to those courts. “This issue is critical because even serving army officers deserve fair trials under a transparent and independent judicial system. No one—civilian or soldier—should be subjected to a sham judicial process,” he said.
He expressed hope that the ruling would mark the beginning of judicial reforms in Uganda, particularly in strengthening judicial independence and impartiality. “We hope that this ruling, which came as a pleasant surprise to the vast majority of citizens, is the first step for the judiciary to cleanse its image, which has been over time grossly soiled by its inability to hold true to the tenets of judicial independence and impartiality,” he said.
“The judiciary must prove that today’s decision is not an exception to the norm but the beginning of consistent and impartial justice for all Ugandans. Ugandans deserve a judiciary that upholds constitutional supremacy and the rule of law at all times, regardless of who is going to be affected by the outcome of the decision made,” Bobi added.
