Chairpersons of the Court Martial and military prosecutors have been urged to uphold fairness, impartiality and justice in the administration of military law as a means of strengthening discipline and professionalism within the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF).
The call was made by the Joint Staff for Training and Doctrine, Brigadier General Wycliff Keita, while officiating at the opening of an eight-day Legal Services Induction Training at the Junior Staff College in Jinja.
Brig Gen Keita emphasized that officers entrusted with administering military justice carry a critical responsibility to act independently and in strict accordance with the law.
“Those entrusted with administering military justice must at all times remain fair, impartial and just. Your decisions should be guided by the evidence before court and the law, not personal interest or external influence,” he said.
He described the training as timely, coming in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision that introduced new standards for Uganda’s military court system.
According to Brig Gen Keita, the conduct of prosecutors and court chairpersons is central to safeguarding the credibility of military justice and maintaining public confidence in the UPDF.
“The military justice system exists to maintain discipline and order in the UPDF and to ensure our soldiers remain law-abiding,” he added, urging participants to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the course in their daily duties.
The Commandant of the Legal Training Centre, Colonel Susan Mwanga, said the induction training was designed to refresh participants on legal procedures governing the administration of justice in military courts.
“This course is intended to remind you of the correct legal processes and to strengthen your capacity to dispense justice professionally,” Col Mwanga said.
The training was attended by the Joint Staff for Legal Services, Brigadier General Moses Wandera, senior and junior officers from the Junior Staff College, as well as chairpersons and military prosecutors of the Court Martial.
