The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs has directed Defence Minister Jacob Oboth Oboth to submit a list of gazetted Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) uniforms and symbols. This will enable the committee to clearly distinguish official military attire from other clothing.
The directive followed concerns raised during a meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and UPDF leaders to review the ministry’s budget framework for the upcoming financial year. Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze, alongside other members of the National Unity Platform (NUP), sparked the discussion by addressing the arrests of NUP supporters wearing red overalls and red berets.
Nambooze questioned why these individuals were charged in the Court Martial for allegedly wearing military uniforms when their attire aligns with NUP’s official party colors.
“Mr. Chairperson, many of our supporters have been arrested and prosecuted for wearing clothes claimed to be reserved for the UPDF, yet red is our party’s color,” Nambooze stated during the session.
In response, Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt. Gen. Samuel Okiding outlined the official UPDF uniforms. However, he did not include red overalls in the list, which raised further concerns.
Nambooze pressed for clarification, asking why NUP supporters were being prosecuted for wearing what is not officially listed as UPDF attire.
To resolve the matter, Committee Chairperson Wilson Kagwenje instructed Lt. Gen. Okiding and Minister Oboth Oboth to compile and submit a detailed list of all gazetted UPDF uniforms and symbols. This document is expected to bring clarity to the controversy and ensure that the distinction between military and non-military clothing is upheld.
