UPDF Bill seeks to ban Kaunda suits for civilians

KAMPALA - The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has proposed a Bill that bars civilians from wearing Kaunda suits of certain colours.

If passed into law, the attire associated with many African revolutionaries and current leaders will become exclusive to the army uniform.

Kaunda suits remain a popular choice in many African countries for their quality and style. The name was coined after Kenneth Kaunda, the first president of Zambia, who gained independence in 1964.

The suits later gained popularity across East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Many of Africa’s first presidents wore the suit as a symbol of post-independence leadership.

According to the UPDF Amendment Bill 2025, which is set to be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 the UPDF has proposed the Kaunda suit uniform as official working attire for Defence Forces personnel.

Details in the proposed amendment indicate that the olive green version will be for the Land Forces, sky blue for the Air Forces, and coffee brown for the Special Forces Command. The trousers will be made from the same material as the jackets.

The amendments also list 40 different arms, 26 types of ammunition, and various marks, accessories, insignia, and uniforms that are to be the exclusive preserve of the Defence Forces.

However, the Bill does not explicitly state the penalty for civilians wearing the attire.

According to the amendments, the Act will also be revised to restructure and re-establish the courts martial within the Defence Forces and to define their jurisdiction.

The amendments further address the composition and qualifications of the chairpersons of the courts martial, their independence, and the appeals process from military courts.

Additionally, the Bill outlines exceptional circumstances under which civilians may be tried by courts martial, particularly when offences are committed jointly with, in conspiracy with, or by aiding and abetting individuals subject to military law.

The Bill also seeks to establish a Military Courts Department within the Defence Forces and a disciplinary unit responsible for overseeing the conduct of members of the Military Courts Department. It also defines the arms and ammunition that are exclusive to the Defence Forces.

According to today’s order paper, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Oboth-Oboth, will table the Bill for its first reading in Parliament.

Oboth-Oboth said the amendments aim to streamline the composition of the organs and structures of the Defence Forces, ensure autonomy in managing pensions for officers and militants, and establish a healthcare service and medical board for the UPDF.

The amendments will also define terms such as “service offence,” “Court Martial,” “Military Court,” and “Reserve Force.”

Oboth-Oboth noted that since the enactment of the UPDF Act in 2005, the Defence sector has undergone operational and administrative transformation, necessitating a comprehensive update of the law to align with new government policies.

“It is important to note that since 2005, the administrative structure of the UPDF has evolved. This, in turn, has led to the Special Forces Command and the Reserve Force being elevated from divisions under the Land Forces to independent services. The Act, for instance, did not provide for the provision of health care for officers and militants, management of military veterans, management of pension and conferring of service medals by the Defence Forces,” Oboth-Oboth said.