JEEMA rejects Sovereignty Bill, warns of threats to civil liberties

By skika Reporter.

The Justice Forum (JEEMA) has called on Parliament to withdraw the proposed Sovereignty Bill, arguing that it undermines civil liberties and fails to address Uganda’s constitutional responsibilities on citizen preparedness.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Kampala, JEEMA spokesperson Swaib Kaggwa Nsereko said the Bill does not enhance national sovereignty as intended, but instead risks criminalising citizens, including Ugandans living in the diaspora.

“The Bill does not protect Uganda’s sovereignty. It threatens civil liberties, criminalizes the diaspora with billions as fines, and distracts from real security gaps,” Nsereko said.

He further argued that “real sovereignty is not built by policing citizens; it is built by preparing them.”

JEEMA also criticised what it described as the long-standing neglect of Article 17(2) of the 1995 Constitution, which provides for compulsory military training for able-bodied citizens when called upon to defend the country.

According to Nsereko, the provision has remained unimplemented for over three decades. He said government has failed to establish a structured national civic-military training programme despite its constitutional backing.

The party warned that attempts to regulate external financial influence should not translate into restrictions on citizens’ freedoms.

“If there is genuine fear of external money, the solution is not to ban money. It is to build citizens who are grounded in constitutional values so their loyalty cannot be bought,” Nsereko added.

Instead of the proposed Bill, JEEMA is advocating for a National Civic Defence Programme. The party says the initiative should focus on constitutional education, disaster preparedness, cyber security awareness, first aid training, and basic defence skills.

It further proposes that the programme be implemented at community level and extended to Ugandans in the diaspora through embassies.

JEEMA also urged Parliament to exercise strict oversight over any such initiative, insisting that true sovereignty should be anchored in “a prepared citizenry, not a policed citizenry.”