MPs head to luxurious hotel to seal UPDF Bill debate

WAKISO - MPs on the Legal and Internal Affairs Committees, which are scrutinising the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025, have been summoned to a hotel in neighbouring Wakiso district for a three-day retreat. 

At the core, the draft law seeks to reconstitute the General Court Martial following its disbandment by the Supreme Court in late January this year.

The retreat is intended to help compile a report that will guide debate during the Bill’s second reading, scheduled for Tuesday next week.

Highly placed sources within the committees revealed that the summons were issued on Friday evening, shortly after a tense meeting with Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka and Defence Ministry officials led by Brig. Gen. Moses Wander, which ended without consensus on several contentious clauses, most notably Clause 117A, which proposes allowing the trial of civilians in military courts under exceptional circumstances, such as cattle rustling, among others.

“This is to inform you that the Joint Committee will hold a residential retreat for the consideration of the UPDF(Amendment) Bill, 2025 from Saturday, 17th May to Monday, 19th May 2025 at Maya  Nature Resort Hotel,” read a message which was shared on MPs WhatsApp forum.

 “Check-in is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, 17th May 2025. Transport will be provided, and departure is at 3:00 PM from the South Wing parking. You are kindly requested to attend and participate in this retreat,” it added.

In light of these unresolved issues, MPs we spoke to on Friday believed that Tuesday would be too soon for any meaningful debate to transpire.

An opposition MP, who spoke to New Vision Online on May 17, 2025, expressed surprise at the development, noting that the committee had been adjourned sine die and as a committee they had not sat to agree on clause-by-clause basis as it ought to be.  the customary clause-by-clause review.

“The 100m is now choking the beneficiaries! The ‘Opposition’ MPs on the joint committee have abdicated! They are loud on talk shows and absent in critical discussions in the committee,” he alleged.

“I can’t rule out the report being written from ‘outside’ and imposed on committee on Tuesday morning. The desperation may also lead to craftiness of forcing a second reading without a report of committee,” the MP added.

Fast forward, the lawmaker vowed not to attend the retreat, citing security concerns and a fear of drafting the report alongside unfamiliar individuals.

Committee chairperson

On Friday, while chairing the joint committee, Bukooli North MP Bukhooli North MP Steven Bakka Mugabi (NRM), who is the legal chair, announced that Parliament has hit the brakes on the contentious Uganda People’s Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill 2025.

To allow for more stakeholders to weigh in and for members of parliament and Government to build consensus.

“The speed has since been reduced because our original plan was to have this bill presented today. But now we have up to next week, so the speed has since been checked. So, for today, we will receive the DPP and any other stakeholder who will show interest after appearance of the DPP. If there is no stakeholder, we will then proceed to do clause by clause of the bill of all the other non-contentious clauses,” he said.

At the moment, he noted, the focus was on resolving four contentious clauses which appear to have generated friction. Out of the Bill’s seventy-six clauses, most of which are largely straightforward matters like the welfare of the armed forces, veterans, and command-and-control structures.

Once these sticking points were addressed, Mugabi said the committee would move to report writing.

“At 2:00pm, I invited the Attorney General (Kiryowa Kiwanuka) to come, such that we can now start working on the contentious clause and see if we can interact with them on clauses. If we can be able to agree with them today, then we can write a report and have it ready probably by Monday,” he remarked.

LOP speaks out

However, following the inclusion of the UPDF bill on Tuesday’s Order Paper, Leader of the Opposition (LOP) Joel Ssenyonyi, via his social media platforms, condemned the process.

“The UPDF (Amendment) Bill, among others, is scheduled to be passed on Tuesday morning. Consultations from different stakeholders were not given time, and today committee members are travelling to a certain hotel to write their report...all in record time! Some members of the public have said that as the Opposition we should stay away from Tuesday's sitting so as not to sanitise this choreographed event,” Ssenyonyi stated.

“While others think it's important for us to be present to at least have our stand on record, and to point out all the ills that have transpired throughout the entire process. We do hear all these thoughts, and as the Opposition in Parliament, we are going to meet to determine a way forward,” he added.

Committee per diem

It is worth noting that for each committee sitting held within Parliament, members receive an allowance of sh50,000, along with refreshments and snacks. With an average of 32 members per committee, the total budget per sitting typically ranges between shs2 million and sh3 million.

For inland field oversight visits, MPs are entitled to a per diem of shs400,000 per day, with most activities lasting between 3 to 5 days.

For foreign oversight trips, the per diem rises to $720 (approximately sh2.68 million) per MP, and $400 (about sh1.5 million) per accompanying staff member. Airfare costs vary depending on the destination.

On top of that, MPs earn a monthly salary of sh11.7m and are entitled to a fuel refund, among other privileges.