A bill in Uganda that would establish a nationwide system of Sharia courts—known in Uganda as “Qadhis courts”—is sparking urgent international concerns over freedom of religion, as lawmakers push to fast-track its passage before Parliament dissolves on 24 April 2026.
The Qadhis Courts Bill, formally published in Uganda’s Gazette at the end of February, would radically change the Ugandan court system. Under the bill, a parallel system of Sharia courts would have mandatory and exclusive jurisdiction over personal law matters such as marriage, divorce, custody, and inheritance for all Muslim marriages, as well as drawing in Christians and other non-Muslims in some circumstances. The bill is expected to be formally introduced and moved into committee imminently, with supporters pushing for its passage before 24 April 2026.
The bill raises serious concerns that some Ugandans will be forced to adjudicate cases in a court system that does not recognize their faith or legal rights.
“Uganda’s proposed Sharia courts bill would subject Christians and other non-Muslims to Islamic law, while undermining fundamental rights—especially for women, children, and religious converts,” said Kelsey Zorzi, Director of Advocacy for Global Religious Freedom at ADF International.
“The Ugandan Qadhis Courts Bill should not proceed within the Parliament, and it is imperative that both international and Ugandan actors oppose it. The proposed bill’s passage would represent a dangerous expansion of Sharia law into Sub-Saharan Africa at a time when Christian persecution is growing.”
Restrictions on Conversion and Other Violations
Because the proposed Qadhis courts would apply Sharia law, which does not recognize conversion from Islam to another religion, Muslim individuals who seek to convert into Christianity or other religions would likely be prevented from doing so.
“The right to choose and change your religion is firmly recognized in international law. Uganda would be in clear violation of international law should Sharia courts be established across the country given the severely problematic implications for religious conversion,” stated Zorzi.
Further, the mandatory and exclusive nature of the Qadhis courts’ jurisdiction proposed by the bill would eliminate the ability of a Christian or other non-Muslim to seek justice in the civil court system when there is a family, custody, or inheritance dispute involving a Muslim who pursues a lawsuit within the Qadhis court system.
Although the proposed bill allows decisions of the Qadhis courts to be appealed to the High Court of Uganda, it requires any such appeal to be heard by a Muslim judge and four Muslim scholars, with no further appeals available.
Implications for Women and Girls
The mandatory application of Sharia law would legally disadvantage Christian women and girls. The experience of Nigeria highlights this issue. Despite Nigerian law mandating 18 years as the minimum age for marriage, many Sharia courts permit and recognize underage marriage. This has led to the kidnapping, forced conversions, and involuntary marriages of minor Christian girls in Nigeria. The proposed Ugandan Qadhis Courts Bill does not have any provisions addressing such conflicts of law, introducing immense uncertainty and few checks on the Qadhis courts.
Additionally, under Sharia law, women do not have the same rights under the law as men. This different treatment impacts ultimate decisions concerning divorce and child custody, as well as the weight of a woman’s testimony in court.
Bill Must Be Rejected to Protect Religious Freedom in Uganda
If the bill is passed, Uganda would not be the first African nation to have Sharia courts, however, the system proposed under Uganda’s Qadhis Courts Bill offers many less protections than similar systems. For instance, the Kenyan Sharia “Kadhis’” courts cannot exercise jurisdiction over non-Muslims, and the Kadhis’ courts are voluntary even for Muslims. Additionally, unlike Uganda’s proposed bill, decisions of Kenya’s Kadhis’ courts are appealable to the secular High Courts, with no special provisions about the High Court’s composition. The Kenyan Kadhis’ courts are also subject to non-discrimination rules for witnesses, to correct for Sharia law’s unequal treatment of the testimony of women and non-Muslims.
“We are very concerned at the Qadhis Courts Bill, which will require Christians and other non-Muslims to appear before Sharia courts, and formally introduces religious law into our national law,” said Arthur Ayorekire, the Vice President of the Uganda Christian Lawyers’ Fraternity. “We ask all Ugandans to speak out against the passage of the Qadhis Courts Bill. The bill is not necessary and will only lead to legal uncertainty, tensions between religious groups, and potentially will allow extremism to grab a hold in Uganda.“
The Uganda Qadhis Courts Bill, as proposed, would create a legal paradigm shift for Uganda and for Africa. The shift markedly increases the risk of religious freedom violations.
ADF International urges Uganda’s parliamentarians to reject the proposed Qadhis Courts Bill and instead focus legislative efforts on protections that uphold freedom of religion and equal treatment under the law.
