Uganda’s Mockery of Justice: A Government That Defies the Supreme Court and Tramples the Rule of Law

By Alexander Luyima

The recent revelation by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago that the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling against the trial of civilians in military courts has been outrightly ignored by the Ugandan government is not just an outrage—it is an unforgivable indictment of a regime that holds neither the rule of law, democracy, nor basic human rights in any regard.

In a country that masquerades as a constitutional democracy, the continued detention of civilians like Dr. Kizza Besigye and others in military courts—despite an explicit prohibition by the highest judicial authority—exposes the brutal reality of President Yoweri Museveni’s rule: laws do not apply to them, and court rulings are meaningless suggestions to be discarded at will.

A Government That Rules by Force, Not Law

In January 2023, Uganda’s Supreme Court issued a decisive ruling: trying civilians in military courts is unconstitutional. It was hailed as a rare victory for justice in a nation where dissent is routinely crushed with impunity. Yet, to this day, the government has done absolutely nothing to comply. Instead, political prisoners remain shackled in kangaroo military tribunals where due process is a farce, and convictions are predetermined.

What does this tell Ugandans?

1. The Judiciary is Powerless Before the Executive — If the Supreme Court’s authority can be blatantly defied without consequence, no Ugandan is safe. The government has made it abundantly clear that it answers to no one—not even the law.

2. Military Courts Are Instruments of Political Repression — Their continued use proves they were never about justice but about eliminating opposition. Civilians are hauled before military courts not because they are threats to national security but because the regime fears open and fair trials that would expose its grotesque abuses.

3. No Citizen is Safe — If the government can openly disregard the highest court’s ruling today, what prevents it from trampling on any other constitutional right tomorrow? The answer is terrifying: nothing.

What Should Ugandans Expect from Such a Government?

The writing is on the wall. A regime that flouts court orders, perverts the legal system, and weaponizes the military against civilians has only one objective: absolute control. Ugandans should brace themselves for:

More Arbitrary Arrests — With the courts rendered toothless, security forces will detain, torture, and imprison at will.

Sham Trials — Military courts will continue to rubber-stamp convictions for political opponents, activists, and anyone who dares to dissent.

Total Erosion of Civil Liberties — The government’s open defiance of the Supreme Court sets a horrifying precedent. From now on, no law will stand in its way.

The World is Watching—But Will It Act?

While the international community occasionally murmurs about “rule of law” and “human rights” in Uganda, their deafening silence in the face of such blatant judicial defiance is disgraceful. Diplomatic statements are worthless if they are not backed by real, tangible consequences. The world must stop pretending that this regime can be reasoned with; it is a dictatorship in every sense of the word, and it must be treated as such.

Conclusion: Resistance is the Only Option

History has repeatedly proven that tyrannical regimes understand only one language: unyielding resistance. If the courts cannot hold this government accountable, then Ugandans must rise to the occasion. Justice will not be handed to them—it must be seized through relentless civic action, sustained international pressure, and unshakable defiance.

The alternative? Submission to a lawless dictatorship. And that is a fate no Ugandan should ever accept.

Enough is enough. The time to reclaim Uganda’s stolen justice is now.