A newly commissioned report by the Human Rights and Peace Center (HURIPEC) at the School of Law, Makerere University, reveals that the militarization of various sectors undermines human development.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the Center for Resolution of International Conflicts (CRIC) in the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, aimed to explore the nature and extent of militarization in selected sectors and institutions in Uganda. It also examined how this process impacts government development agendas, oversight possibilities, institutional capacities and independence, and the country’s political and human rights dynamics.
According to the report, although the militarization agenda is partly driven by ambitions for economic growth to propel Uganda to middle-income status and has been credited for some sector growth, it negatively affects human development.
“The study’s findings indicate that while the UPDF’s intervention has contributed to growth in some development sectors, essential elements of human development have been greatly undermined in these same sectors. The militarization agenda in Uganda is partly driven by ambitions for economic growth to achieve middle-income status,” reads part of the report.
The report states that the negative impact on human development arises from a top-down approach modeled on military practices, where decision-making is based on hierarchies of command, control, and order. This approach disrupts civic methods, fundamental to the country’s constitution and necessary for inclusive and sustainable development.
At the launch of the report, Dr. Zahara Nampewo, the deputy principal of the Makerere School of Law and one of the researchers, noted that the study was prompted by the under-exploration of sector militarization worldwide.
“We undertook this study because, although militarization is a globally growing phenomenon, it is under-explored, especially in Uganda, particularly regarding its impact on peace, human rights, and institutional capacity,” she said.
She added that the study, which took three years and covered the entire country, employed a multidisciplinary approach. The research conceptualized militarization as the expansion of the military establishment within society through increased military spending, larger budgets, higher numbers of armed forces, and the integration of military values into civilian affairs. This occurs in various sectors, including land, fisheries, natural resources, and industries.
“Gradually, we see military priorities and influences being accepted, normalized, and even prioritized in civilian affairs, leading to the use of firearms and physical force over other forms of human interaction as a means to resolve differences,” she explained.
According to the report, communities interviewed during the study reported significant losses in livelihoods, individual liberties, and welfare following military intervention in local economies. The militarization agenda prioritizes “big capital” growth over sustainable development, often neglecting the needs of indigenous minorities and local communities. The report offers several recommendations, including re-evaluating the military’s role in agricultural development, conducting socio-economic impact assessments before military deployments, and ensuring fair revenue distribution from mineral extraction projects to benefit local communities. It also calls for legal challenges to presidential directives granting construction awards to the military and a national dialogue to regulate the relationship between the military and civilian sectors for better outcomes in policing, democracy, and sustainable development.
In conclusion, the report underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive regulatory framework to govern the military’s 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.
By Denis Kasule Ssebunya
