The UPDF Act (Amendment), 2025: Gen. Museveni wants civilians as subjects under military law

117A. Other persons subject to military law

A person, other than a member of the Defence Forces, shall be subject to military law under the following exceptional circumstance

(a) where the person voluntarily accompanies any unit or other element of the Defence Forces which is in active service in any place;

b) while serving with the Defence Forces under an engagement by which he or she has agreed to be subject to military law;

(c) where the person in unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the Defence Forces, prescribed in schedule 7A tot his Act or classified stores prescribed in schedule 7B to this Act commits an offence under any written law; (d) where the person aids or abets a person subject to military law in the commission of, or conspires with a person subject to military law to commit the following offences

(i) murder;

(ii) aggravated robbery;

(iii) kidnap with intend to murder;

(iv) treason;

(v) misprision of treason; or

(vi) cattle rustling;

(e) where the person, without authority, is found in possession of, sells or wears a uniform of the Defence Forces; or (D where the person is found in unlawful possession of

(1) arms, ammunition or equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the Defence Forces, prescribed in Schedule 7B this Act; or

(2) classified stores as prescribed in Schedule 7B to this Act; or

(g) where the person is serving in the position of an officer or militant of any force raised and maintained outside Uganda and commanded by an officer of the Defence Forces” (UPDF Amendment Act, 2025).

Time is a wasting and time is really infinite.

What General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni wants is what he gets… The master demands and cronies cooks it up. The President and Commander-in-Chief wants courts and trials he directly controls or can order around. The General Court Martial (GCM) is an instrument that His Excellency wants and needs to oppress or silent dissent. Therefore, his changing laws to make the possible.

The President and the State House wants civilians and citizens to become subjects under Military Law. They want to try civilians in the GCM. That’s the plan and it’s not even concealed. The amendment of the UPDF Act is to codify and legalise the misuse of military court and law in regards to citizens. That’s the message… and it is obvious.

We knew this was coming. The President has to hold people captive and detain the ones who dares to challenge the current rulers of the Republic. They have to make up charges and keep them on remand in the GCM for prolonged time. That’s what the UPDF Act wants to do and a way to keep people behind bars without due process or proper trials. Where the state doesn’t have to produce evidence, witnesses or even proof of the criminal conspiracy, which the civilian is charged with. They are kept incarcerated without sentencing and that’s what the state wants. As they know they cannot do this in ordinary courts or keep the charade going there forever. Therefore, the GCM works well for them and for a reason.

This is who the President is and what sort of leader he has become. He doesn’t trust anyone or anyone who dares to challenge him. That’s why he needs the GCM and the ability to try civilians under military law. This is what he wants and the 11th Parliament will fulfil that void for him.

Citizens are sooner or later returning in bracelets in the GCM. That’s what Museveni want, and what Museveni wants, he gets sooner or later. Peace.

Burkina Faso: Ministere de la Securite – Communique de Dementi relatif a de Pretendues Attaques contre des Positions des Forces de Defense et de Securite (12.05.2025)

Mali: Front de Liberation de l’Azawad (F.L.A) – Communique (10.05.2025)

South Sudan: Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – In Opposition (SPLM-IO) – Press Statement on the Alleged Recognition of the So-Called SPLM (IO) Interim Leadership by the High-Level Standing Committee (09.05.2025)

South Sudan: We see you, Stephen Par Kuol – the new pawn of IG!

Pathological dictators like Kirr fear civil political competition as they are impervious to reason with. The only voice a dictator listens to is his own voice. That is why political repression is the only effective weapon in the hand of the tyrant. Opposition parties in autocratic states like this one of Kiir in South Sudan are either outlawed or accorded very little political lee way. Using the state institutions of the police state, the key opposition leaders are often arrested, intimidated, hounded and even killed. Cowed into submission, some intellectuals in the opposition tend to switch camps to serve their bellies and ensure their physical survival. The bitter truth of this culture is that it depletes human conscience and dignity. It compels intellectuals to sell off their consciences, integrity and principles with cheap political appointments. As we have all witnessed in South Sudan, the pet aversion of all dictators is press freedom. Censorship is imposed; journalists, newspaper editors, and columnists are harassed and arrested for telling the truth” (Stephan Par Kuol – ‘Stephen Par Kuol: President Kiir Mayardit, the Persona of the Made Mad Man’, 21.01.2014, PaanLuel Wël).

Former Deputy Ambassador Stephen Par Kuol are now becoming the puppet of the SPLM-IG, as his their successor of Dr. Riek Machar. This is an act of trying to sway and takeover the power of the SPLM-IO. That’s the gig here and doing so while Dr. Riek Machar is under house-arrest. Therefore, Par Kuol is now a willing candidate to overthrow Machar from the outside.

The High-Level Standing Committee (HLSC) of unity government has officially recognized the SPLM-IO-Juba faction, led by Stephen Par Kuol, as the legitimate body to implement the 2018 peace agreement. The announcement was made by Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro” (Dalwout Media, 09.05.2025).

The former deputy ambassador and becoming the National Minister of the Ministry of Peace Building. He got that office because the SPLM-IO was allocated a set amount of slots and Machar believed in him. Now the Minister is betraying his former ally and leader.

Par Kuol is apparently following his own words from 2014. As he stated the bitter truth of the culture, his now a pat of it and switches camps to serve his belly and furthering his political career. He has deplete his human conscience and dignity, as his willing to trade his loyalty to become the leader of the SPLM-IO.

That his now officially recognized and a part of the agenda of the IG. Stephen Par Kuol knows what his doing and playing the games of the J1. He believes he can outsmart and outmanoeuvre the allies of Machar. This is a deliberate act of the President and of the SPLM-IG to do this. They have a token solider and a puppet now. That’s why they wanted him there and now they have an excuse to get ride of Machar. This is the purpose and it isn’t even clever.

There was even reports of the plan back in early April and now it’s official a month later. The IG wanted a coup and they have affected the coup. They want to weaken and control of IO. Just like they tried to boost Taban Deng Gai. Now Stephen Par Kuol is their favoured guy and they want him to takeover. However, this isn’t the game of IG to decide, but the IO itself. They are forcing the party and trying to dismantle it from the outside.

We see you Stephen, We see you and your words from 2014 should be shared wide and large. Peace.

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South Sudan: Apuk Giir Youth Union – Open letter of condemning violence inflicted on indigenous civilians of Apuk Giir Community by armed youth and IO elements of Unity state (08.05.2025)

RDC: Ministere de l’Interieur, Securite, Decentralisation et Affaires Coutumieres – Communique Officiel (08.05.2025)

Open letter to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (05.05.2025)

Dear General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,

I haven’t written an open letter to you in years. As it has felt like a waste of time and surely this is too. However, these words have to be said and even if only one other person get to read it. Hopefully, those words can matter, aspire and be well said.

As a President for decades, as the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief. Everything is within your fingertips. All power and everything of the state is consolidated in your hands. Your decisions and words are law. We have all seen it and your letters can be used as tools or mechanisms to make a change.

It is weird that you as the President sounds like an Opposition figure. That’s how you seem and we can clearly see the difference between your speeches and the reality on the ground. Your actions and the acts of the state isn’t in accordance with what you seek. Especially, if those words out of your mouth have any meaning or are based on something. It is hard to believe that a man of your stature and significance can boil down to an empty pit of nothingness.

Why?

Because you allow others to compromise you and make a mockery of your rule. You are allowing your son to be a brutal man and usage force on innocent civilians. Do you enjoy the pain and suffering of others? Are you happy to see citizens tortured, detained and scorned by their association? Is that who you are?

Is this the NRA/M liberation and what you have become?

Didn’t you fight Amin for the same reasons? Didn’t you fight Obote for the similar reasons too?

Seriously, didn’t you fight for the peasants and to give them democracy. Instead you are misusing power and targeting civilians who happens to wear red. Meanwhile you would bash in glory if they wear your yellow t-shirt.

The ones who had faith and believed that the “Change of Guard” and the New Vision mattered. Well, we have seen that has been forgotten about. As President all principles and all ethos has been lost. President are you proud of betraying everyone around you and everything you stood for? Are you happy to be remembered for blood, sweat and tears? Is that what it all boiled down to?

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the lives are on the line and the call is upon you. You have amassed it all and you decide in the end. Unless, you cannot discipline your son or inner-circle, but can do it to the future generations to come. The ones that will remember your arrogance, entitlement and usage of force upon them. They will remember how you and your son run a state of terror upon them. That’s what they will remember. These people won’t remember Amin or Obote II government. They will only remember and acknowledge the lessons of Muhoozi and his kind. Is that what you want to be remembered for?

Everything you have done will be written down. Your time and era will be studied as a precaution and a case of the danger of being in power. As they can see how a man changes and becomes a tyrant. That’s who you are and you can change, but that’s possibly to late.

Best regards

Writer of Minbane

Derrick Nyeko MP letter to the Chairperson on the Committe on Defence and Vetern Affairs: Urgent Request to Summon the Commander-in-Chief over the Erratic and Unprofessional Behavior of the Chief of Defence Forces (02.05.2025)