Norbert Mao, Uganda’s Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs has stated that the Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Principal Judge have started coordinating with the Court Martial to immediately transfer civilian cases to the High Court.
Mao assured the public that the DPP’s team is prepared to take over the trials signaling a critical moment for Uganda’s justice system in the statement he made on his official X (twitter) platform.
“All concerned offices will abide by the Supreme Court ruling. The AG, DPP and Principal Judge are liaising with the Court Martial. The DPP’s team is ready to take over the cases. The AG has instructed the Court Martial to transfer the files. The trials will be in the High Court.”
Supreme Court rules that all civilian cases previously handled by the Court Martial including that of opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye must be transferred to the High Court.
The ruling follows relentless advocacy from Besigye’s family, medical professionals and religious leaders citing his deteriorating health and the injustice of trying civilians in a military tribunal.
For years, opposition figures and activists have decried the use of the Court Martial against civilians calling it a tool for political persecution.
The ruling comes amid intensifying calls for the release of Dr. Kizza Besigye and other political detainees as concerns over their well-being behind bars grow.
The Attorney General’s directive is a positive legal step but critics warn that the government could use bureaucratic delays to stall justice.
Meanwhile, security agencies have remained tight-lipped, and there are no clear timelines on when Besigye’s trial will officially move to the High Court.
Lawyers representing Besigye and other detainees will push for expedited hearings and possible bail applications.
For Besigye and many others who have spent years entangled in Uganda’s military justice system, this ruling is both a legal victory and a test for the nation’s judiciary.
