The Ugandan law bars the president and members of parliament from donning army uniforms. But two days ago after seeing this photograph posted by StateHouse publist Sarah Kagingo, we posed to her this question:

“Why does president Museveni put on a military uniform contrary to the law?” A bitter and annoyed Sarah Kagingo and a few others attacked and challenged us to quote the law to that effect.

The assertion is that president Museveni and the MPs who donned army uniform at the recent Kyankwazi during NRM retreat committed an offense and are liable to 7 years imprisonment.

But in this news article, dear Sarah Kagingo and others who attacked us here is the law for your perusal. The Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces Act under section 164 stipulates as follows;

(1) that any person who, without authority

(a) sells, offers or exposes for sale or wears or uses any uniform supplied, to or authorised for use by, any member of the Defence Forces; (b) manufactures, sells, offers or exposes for sale, wears or uses any uniform so nearly resembling the uniform referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection, as to be likely to deceive; or (c) wears or uses any decoration supplied to or authorised for use by any member of the Defence Forces or any decoration so nearly resembling that decoration as to be likely to deceive, commits an offence and is, on conviction, liable to imprisonment not exceeding seven years.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to any uniform or decoration for the purposes of any bona fide stage, film or television production or military representation.

(3) Any person who by act, words, conduct or otherwise, falsely represents himself or herself to be a person who is or has been entitled to wear or use any uniform or decoration referred to in subsection (1), commits an offence and is, on conviction, liable to imprisonment not exceeding three years.

(4) In any prosecution for an offence under this section relating to any act done without due or lawful authority, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the accused had no such authority.

(5) In this section, “uniform” means any article of wearing apparel and includes a badge, button, braid or insignia, worn in association with any particular item or items of clothing, and a tie.

Ends