The recently appointed members of the General Court Martial have today taken their oaths of offices at the Supreme Court in Kampala, marking the first time that the UPDF’s Court Martial members are being sworn in under the Judiciary’s supervision.
The Wednesday swearing ceremony which was officiated over by the Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, and several other judicial officers saw Brig Gen Richard Tukacungurwa take oath as the new Chairperson of the General Court Martial, alongside other members.
The new nine member Brig Gen Richard Tukacungurwa led court martial, will replace Brig. Gen. Robert Freeman Mugabe, who served as Chairperson of the General Court Martial for three terms.
Their swearing in, follows their appointment to the committee by President Yoweri Museveni last year on November 25, under the UPDF Act and on advice of the Judicial Service Commission.
Uganda court martial was suspended last year following a Supreme Court judgment on January 31 in which the court ruled that civilians could no longer be tried in the military courts which it rendered inactive and continuing to do so would be unconstitutional.
Brig Gen Richard Tukacungurwa, an advocate of the high court will serve alongside new senior members who include Colonel Wankandya Simon Tusah, Colonel Asha Patra, Colonel Kangwamu Fredrick, Colonel Mugisha Raphael and Lieutenant Colonel Igambi Mohammedie Nasser.
Other members include Major Amodoi Samuel Moses, Major Arihaihi Emmanuel, Major Nyombi Abubaker, and Major Chemtai Denis.
The appointed Chairpersons of Division Court Martials are Lt. Col. Drani Epalu David for the Fourth Division and Lt. Col. Mulyanti Yaqoub Hassan for the Special Forces Group.
However, the swearing in of the new court martial members with only a week to elections is set to attract criticism from members of the opposition and human rights activists who have in the past alleged the court martial is used by the government to persecute it’s opponents.
