By Spy Uganda
In a dramatic legal move with significant political ramifications, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today signed the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Act, 2025 into law — granting the military sweeping control over a wide array of clothing and ceremonial items previously used by civilians, especially those associated with political movements.
The newly assented law introduces Section 117A and Schedule B, which designates an expanded list of military stores as the exclusive property of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). These include not only standard combat gear but also items such as ceremonial belts, officer shoes, metallic buttons embossed with the national emblem, lanyards, helmets, camouflage caps, military boots, and swords.
The law even provides visual illustrations of these items to eliminate any legal grey areas, leaving no room for interpretation about what constitutes restricted military gear.
This development follows years of escalating tension between the state and the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), led by Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, whose supporters popularized the red beret — a fashion statement turned political symbol — which was earlier gazetted as military gear and thus made illegal for civilian use.
With the amended law now in effect, civilian possession, display, or wearing of any item in Schedule B becomes a prosecutable offence, giving security agencies even broader authority to arrest and detain individuals under the guise of impersonating military personnel.
Government officials defend the move as a national security measure, arguing it helps prevent impersonation of security officers and protects the integrity of Uganda’s armed forces. But critics say the timing and scope of the law are politically motivated — a strategic crackdown on opposition mobilization ahead of the 2026 general elections.
“This isn’t just about uniforms. It’s about silencing dissent,” said a Kampala-based political analyst. “The law effectively criminalizes political symbolism that challenges the status quo.”
Over the past few years, several NUP activists have been arrested, beaten, or detained for wearing red berets, black boots, and other outfits deemed too “military-like.” With Schedule B now codified, legal experts predict an increase in targeted arrests as the law is enforced.
As the 2026 elections draw nearer, opposition parties face mounting pressure — not only on the campaign trail but also in how they present themselves in public.
The battlefield, it seems, has expanded from rallies and speeches to what people wear.
