KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | On Tuesday, the Minister of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, Jacob Oboth Oboth, introduced to Parliament a UPDF Amendment Bill aimed at, among other things, reintroducing provisions that allow military courts to try civilians—individuals otherwise not subject to military law. According to Oboth, the 144-page …
Read More »COMMENT: Uganda’s Defence Bill 2025 risks militarizing justice and violating civil rights
COMMENT | REGINA ASINDE | The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025 tabled in parliament today has triggered serious concerns among human rights defenders and constitutional law experts. While the bill purports to streamline military administration and align structures with evolving defence needs, it dangerously extends military court jurisdiction …
Read More »Centurion Owor arrested for defrauding youth in Tororo with fake UPDF recruitment
Tororo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Tororo police is holding Centurion Owor, who has been accused of deceiving many young people in the district with a promise to have them recruited into the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). Owor allegedly promised to help them join the army but instead took their …
Read More »COMMENT: New UPDF bill does not seem like compliance with Supreme Court ruling
COMMENT | Nicholas Opiyo | The UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025 will be tabled in the Ugandan parliament tomorrow by Oboth Oboth, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs. It is 143 pages long with 84 clauses – by all means a major overhaul of the UPDF Act. On top of most …
Read More »UPDF to retire 58-year-old Lt Gen Elwelu
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu, has welcomed the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) leadership’s decision to send him for early retirement. Lt Gen Elwelu is among the 1300 top, middle and lower military career personnel set to …
Read More »President Museveni calls on the UPDF to protect Uganda’s democracy
CIC Orders UPDF to deal with political intimidators Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to deal with any political intimidators. Museveni, who chaired UPDF High Command and Defence Council at Entebbe State House on Wedensday and Thursday, said UPDF …
Read More »UPDF lauds Ghana military academies for shaping Uganda’s military commanders
KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | Maj Gen Don Nabasa, the Chief of Policy and Strategy of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), has praised Ghana’s military academies for playing a crucial role in the professional development of many of Uganda’s current military commanders. In a meeting with Ghana’s 37 …
Read More »Brig Gen Ssemwanga: UPDF not leaving Somalia soon
Mogadishu, Somalia | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) contingent in Somalia will not be withdrawn soon because they still need to support the Somalia National Army (SNA) and the government to fight Al-Shabaab terrorists, according to Brig Gen Joseph Musoke Ssemwanga. Brig Ssemwanga, who was meeting …
Read More »MUHOOZI: We captured Eddie Mutwe like a grasshopper
CDF Gen Muhoozi confirms detaining Bobi Wine’s bodyguard Eddie Mutwe Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has confirmed that he is detaining Eddie Mutwe, a renowned personal bodyguard of National Unity Platform President Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine. Gen Muhoozi through his …
Read More »LUBOWA: 12 soldiers, SFC officer face charges after police station attack
KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | Lt Samson Amo, from the Special Forces Command (SFC), and 12 other UPDF soldiers are facing charges of aggravated robbery and assault after they raided Lubowa Police Station Wednesday afternoon. The Kampala Metropolitan South regional police headquarters has opened a case against Lt Amo …
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