Last Change:
03/21/2025
The Constitution of The Republic of Uganda
Year: 1995
Type: Domestic law
Rights Category: Education, Health, Housing, land & property, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Work & Workplace rights, Documentation
Description
The Constitution of Uganda, promulgated in 1995, serves as the supreme law of the country. The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for all individuals, including the right to life, liberty, and security, freedom of expression, assembly, and association, and the right to equality before the law. It prohibits torture and ensures the right to a fair trial. The Constitution also establishes a Parliament responsible for legislation and oversight, as well as a judiciary that operates independently. It emphasizes principles of national unity, decentralization, and affirmative action, aiming to redress historical imbalances and promote the representation of marginalized groups. The Constitution promotes good governance through transparency, accountability, and the establishment of constitutional commissions and offices.
The content of the Constitution of The Republic of Uganda is consistent with the Refugee Convention (1951) in relation to documentation rights.
Selected provisions
(2) A child is entitled to basic education which shall be the responsibility of the State and the parents of the child.
(1) The official language of Uganda is English.
(2) Swahili shall be the second official language in Uganda to be used in such circumstances as Parliament may by law prescribe.
(3) Subject to this article, any other language may be used as a medium of instruction in schools or other educational institutions or for legislative, administrative or judicial purposes as Parliament may by law prescribe.
(1) Every person shall have the right to —
...
(c) freedom to practice any religion and manifest such practice which shall include the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious body or organisation in a manner consistent with this Constitution.
1) No person shall be deprived of personal liberty except in any of the following cases —
...
(g) for the purpose of preventing the unlawful entry of that person into Uganda, or for the purpose of effecting the expulsion, extradition or other lawful removal of that person from Uganda or for the purpose of restricting that person while being conveyed through Uganda in the course of the extradition or removal of that person as a convicted prisoner from one country to another.
(4) A person arrested or detained —
(a) for the purpose of bringing him or her before a court in execution of an order of a court; or
(b) upon reasonable suspicion of his or her having committed or being about to commit a criminal offence under the laws of Uganda,
shall, if not earlier released, be brought to court as soon as possible but in any case, not later than forty-eight hours from the time of his or her arrest.
The State shall endeavour to fulfill the fundamental rights of all Ugandans to social justice and economic development and shall, in particular, ensure that —
(a) all developmental efforts are directed at ensuring the maximum social and cultural well-being of the people; and
(b) all Ugandans enjoy rights and opportunities and access to education, health services, clean and safe water, work, decent shelter, adequate clothing, food security and pension and retirement benefits.
(1) Subject to laws enacted in their best interests, children shall have the right to know and be cared for by their parents or those entitled by law to bring them up.
(2) A child is entitled to basic education which shall be the responsibility of the State and the parents of the child.
(3) No child shall be deprived by any person of medical treatment, education or any other social or economic benefit by reason of religious or other beliefs.
(4) Children are entitled to be protected from social or economic exploitation and shall not be employed in or required to perform work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with their education or to be harmful to their health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.
(5) For the purposes of clause (4) of this article, children shall be persons under the age of sixteen years.
(6) A child offender who is kept in lawful custody or detention shall be kept separately from adult offenders.
(7) The law shall accord special protection to orphans and other vulnerable children.
The State shall register every birth, marriage and death occurring in Uganda.
Every Ugandan has a right to a clean and healthy environment.
(1)
Every person has a right to own property either individually or in association with others.
(2)
No person shall be compulsorily deprived of property or any interest in or right over property of any description except where the following conditions are satisfied—
(a)
the taking of possession or acquisition is necessary for public use or in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; and
(b)
the compulsory taking of possession or acquisition of property is made under a law which makes provision for —
(i) prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation, prior to the taking of possession or acquisition of the property; and
(ii) a right of access to a court of law by any person who has an interest or right over the property.