Summary:

• A new report by Makerere University’s Human Rights and Peace Center (HURIPEC) and the University of Copenhagen reveals that militarization in Uganda hampers human development. Despite contributions to sectoral growth, the military’s hierarchical decision-making disrupts civic processes essential for sustainable development.

A newly commissioned report by the Human Rights and Peace Center (HURIPEC) at Makerere University’s School of Law has unveiled the detrimental impact of militarization on human development in Uganda. Conducted in collaboration with the Center for Resolution of International Conflicts (CRIC) at the University of Copenhagen, the study examined the extent of militarization in various sectors and institutions and its implications for government development agendas, oversight, institutional capacities, and the nation’s political and human rights landscape.

Despite ambitions to drive economic growth and elevate Uganda to middle-income status, the report highlights that militarization has adversely affected human development. The findings indicate that while the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) has contributed to sectoral growth, the militaristic approach disrupts civic processes fundamental to the country’s constitution and essential for inclusive and sustainable development.

“The UPDF’s intervention, though credited for growth in some sectors, has significantly undermined core aspects of human development,” the report states. It points to the hierarchical, command-driven decision-making typical of military practices, which clashes with the civic approaches necessary for democratic governance and development.

At the report’s launch, Dr. Zahara Nampewo, deputy principal of the Makerere School of Law and one of the researchers, emphasized the need to study the under-explored impacts of militarization. “Globally, militarization is growing, yet its effects on peace, human rights, and institutional capacity are not thoroughly examined, especially in Uganda,” she noted. The research spanned three years and employed a multidisciplinary approach to assess militarization in sectors such as land, fisheries, natural resources, and industries.

The study reveals that military priorities and influences are increasingly normalized in civilian affairs, leading to a reliance on firearms and physical force over peaceful resolution of conflicts. Communities affected by military interventions reported significant losses in livelihoods, liberties, and welfare. The militarization agenda, the report argues, favors “big capital” growth over sustainable development, often neglecting indigenous minorities and local communities.

Key recommendations from the report include re-evaluating the military’s role in agricultural development, conducting socio-economic impact assessments before military deployments, and ensuring equitable revenue distribution from mineral extraction projects. The report also calls for legal challenges to presidential directives granting construction awards to the military and advocates for a national dialogue to regulate the military-civilian relationship.

The report underscores the urgent need for a regulatory framework to govern military involvement in civilian activities, safeguarding human rights, democratic principles, and sustainable development in Uganda. It urges civil society, policymakers, and stakeholders to collaborate in addressing the pervasive impact of militarization across all sectors of Ugandan society.