Speaking after a two-hour closed-door meeting, ULS President Ssemakadde confirmed that the remaining steps involve obtaining the certificate and filing it with the General Court Martial. He commended the council’s decision as a testament to institutional progress but warned against bureaucratic delays.
The petitioners claim that the trial is in contempt of the December 15, 2022, orders of the Constitutional Court of Uganda, which barred the trial of civilians in military courts. They argue that the military tribunal's jurisdiction is limited to trying military personnel and not civilians, and that the trial of civilians in a military tribunal violates the principles of good governance, democracy, and rule of law.
Led by Kampala Capital City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Kenyan legal expert Martha Karua, the team demanded answers on why the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the matter, despite the Chief Justice previously describing it as urgent and of public importance.