Luwero, Uganda: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has congratulated Members of Parliament for passing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill, 2025, warning that failure to do so would have sparked serious institutional friction between the military, Parliament, and courts.
“I want to congratulate the Members of Parliament for passing the UPDF Amendment Bill. There was going to be a serious problem because some people were saying if a soldier commits a crime such as killing a person, theft or rape, they should be taken to the sub-county (civilian courts) instead of the court martial. Those who were involved have to repent. There was going to be a serious collision between the army, Parliament, and the courts of law, but they have saved us the embarrassment,” said Museveni.
The President made the remarks on Wednesday, May 21, during a leaders’ meeting at Timnah Nursery and Primary School in Mabaale Village, Luwero District, as part of his ongoing assessment tour of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and other wealth creation programs in Greater Luwero.
Parliament passed the UPDF Amendment Bill on May 20, expanding military courts’ authority to try civilians under specific conditions, particularly in cases involving possession of military equipment or collaboration in crimes like treason or murder.
“When we came from the bush, we decided that even a person who is not a soldier and decides to use a gun to commit a crime, we are going to charge them in the army courts,” Museveni emphasized.
The President attributed Uganda’s stability to NRM’s clean politics since 1986, anchored on peace and development. “We told you that among the main pillars of development is peace. Many countries around us are rich in minerals and oil, but they don’t have peace. Many of their people are here in Uganda as refugees. We now have 1.8 million refugees here,” he said.
He reiterated NRM’s four ideological principles: Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Social-Economic Transformation, and Democracy, as the foundation of Uganda’s progress.
Museveni advised Ugandans to prioritize wealth creation over infrastructural development by engaging in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, and services. He warned against land fragmentation, citing the case of a neighbor in Kisozi who lost his estate due to uncoordinated inheritance.
“I had my neighbor in Kisozi. He was a very rich man with four square miles of land and 500 cows. When he died, the children just divided, and that huge estate disappeared. Some sold their shares. This is very dangerous. If this happens to every generation, what will happen to the remaining families?” Museveni asked.
He praised collective investment models such as Hajjat Mariam Baiga’s family in Ssekamuli, Bamunanika, and reminded leaders of his 1996 Manifesto proposal for intensive agriculture on small plots.
“I proposed one acre for coffee, another for fruits, a third for livestock grass, and a fourth for food crops. In the backyard, poultry or piggery. Those near swamps can do fish farming. Those who listened are doing well,” he said.
Museveni also warned against mismanagement of PDM funds, saying each parish could have a Shs1.8 billion bank in 10 years if the Shs100 million annual allocations are used properly.
NRM Vice National Chairman for Central Region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi, praised Museveni’s transformative agenda, particularly through coffee farming.
NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong presented a scorecard showing a drop in party support in Greater Luwero between 2016 and 2021, calling on leaders to reflect on their role. He revealed that Shs300 million Museveni won from a court award against Monitor newspaper has been allocated for a new NRM office in Luwero.
Parish Development Model National Coordinator, Hon. Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi, reported that Shs62 billion has been distributed among 240 SACCOs in Greater Luwero, reaching 65,000 households. Women make up 51% of the beneficiaries, but youth engagement remains low at 26%.
Galabuzi also pointed to gaps in extension services and water for production as major challenges, with PDM facilitators now deployed to support program implementation.
Minister of State for Microfinance, Hon. Haruna Kasolo, decried the misuse of Emyooga and PDM funds by parish SACCO leaders and warned of enforcement to recover loans.
Senior Presidential Advisor on Manifesto Implementation, Hon. Ephraim Kamuntu, hailed Museveni’s economic leadership through “Musevenomics,” which he described as a scientific framework guiding Uganda’s evolution toward a knowledge-based economy.
State Minister for Investment and Privatisation, Hon. Evelyn Anite, reminded attendees of the theme of Museveni’s countrywide tour—“Securing Your Future Through Wealth Creation”—and said Uganda is now enjoying the fruits of the promised “fundamental change” since 1986.
Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, emphasized the 2022 Presidential Executive Order protecting squatters and encouraged leaders to utilize ministry digital platforms to verify land claims.
The meeting was attended by ministers, Members of Parliament, and NRM leaders from across Greater Luwero.
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