By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) President, Hon. Jimmy Akena has issued a scathing condemnation of the government’s continued abuse of human rights, warning that no authority has the power to strip Ugandans of their fundamental freedoms.
Speaking to journalists at the party’s headquarters in Kampala, the UPC leader declared that the rights of citizens are “God-given” and cannot be usurped by any regime or institution.
“You may think you own Uganda, you may think you can determine what Uganda suffers. No. These are God-given rights,” he said. “There is no power which you have, no authority which can remove the rights of the citizens of Uganda and put them into high command. That will not happen. Not in Uganda.”
The UPC President’s remarks come at a time when Ugandan parliament is debating on the controversial UPDF Act Amendment Bill, 2025, to reinstate the general court marital and legalize trial of civilians in the military court. The bill has been criticized by many Uganda’s, opposition politicians and human rights defenders a sham that seek to overturn the decision of the supreme court in the Kabazigurika Vs. Attorney General case which ruled out trying civilians in the army court.
The bill was yesterday (May 13) tabled for the first reading on the floor of parliament which sent it to parliamentary committees on Legal Affairs, and Defence for review . The committees have begun reviewing of the Bill today, with officials from the ministry of defence and the Attorney General appearing before them.
Uganda is facing growing concerns of alleged human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, detention without trial, torture and crackdowns on opposition voices and civil society groups.
Akena criticized the government’s increasing militarization of civilian life and warned that such actions could erode democratic gains and plunge the country into deeper unrest.
“We will not allow a return to the dark days. The UPC remains committed to defending the rights and dignity of all Ugandans,” he added.
The government has yet to respond to the accusations. However, human rights advocates and international observers have repeatedly raised alarms over deteriorating civil liberties in Uganda, particularly in the lead-up to and aftermath of national elections.
