Friday, March 4, 2016

Uganda's military courts

Dr. Ronald Naluwairo
Dr. Ronald Naluwairo has written this must-read, no-punches-pulled op-ed on Uganda's military courts -- and why they cannot deliver justice. He observes, for example:
The UPDF [Uganda People's Defense Force] Act provides one-year tenure for the members of the General Court Martial and the Division Courts-Martial. Although the tenure for members of military courts and the advocates appointed to advise the military courts need not necessarily be the same as that of civilian judges, the one-year tenure is too short to guarantee their independence.

This is made worse by the fact that Uganda's military justice legal framework is completely silent on the circumstances, let alone the procedure and manner in which these members and the advocates can be removed or suspended before expiry of their tenure.
Bravo to Dr. Naluwairo. Note to readers: military judges in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have no fixed terms at all.

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