Uganda is once again in the international spotlight as the United Nations Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, has issued a stern warning to President Yoweri Museveni’s government over what he calls a “deepening pattern of repression” against opposition supporters and journalists. With the country’s January 2026 general election fast approaching, concerns about arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and violent crackdowns on dissent have reached a fever pitch.
According to Eastleigh Voice, Türk’s alarm follows a series of high-profile incidents, most notably the abduction and incommunicado detention of two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo. The pair were seized in Kampala shortly after attending an opposition rally on October 1, 2025. Their ordeal lasted nearly 40 days, during which they were held without communication in what President Museveni chillingly referred to as “the fridge.” Museveni admitted in November that his government had detained the two men, contradicting earlier statements given to the court. The activists were eventually released and handed over to Kenyan authorities, but the episode has left a lasting mark on the pre-election climate.
In a statement distributed by the UN and reported by YNews Digital, Türk did not mince words: “In a recent case, two Kenyan activists were arbitrarily detained in Uganda shortly after attending an opposition rally in October. They were handed over to the Kenyan authorities after more than a month of incommunicado detention in what the Ugandan President called ‘the fridge.’” He further accused Museveni and his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba—who heads Uganda’s military—of orchestrating such abductions, sparking outrage among rights groups and opposition politicians alike.
Njagi, speaking after his release, gave a harrowing account of his detention. “After abduction, we were driven to a military camp outside Kampala… We were held in cells alongside other foreign nationals and Ugandan civilians,” he recounted to YNews Digital. Despite the trauma, he remarked, “My abduction experience in Kenya was worse… I’d rather in Uganda.” Njagi also alleged, though without independent verification, that Ugandan soldiers had covertly crossed into Kenya disguised as police officers to help suppress recent youth protests—a claim that has raised fresh concerns about regional security cooperation and the opaque nature of intelligence operations in East Africa.
But Njagi and Oyoo’s ordeal is far from an isolated incident. According to Eastleigh Voice and YNews Digital, at least 550 individuals, mostly members and supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) opposition party, have been arrested and detained since early 2025. More than 300 of these arrests have occurred since the official start of campaigning in September. The charges leveled against these detainees range from public nuisance and disobedience to obstruction and incitement of violence—accusations the opposition says are routinely used to stifle political mobilization.
Security forces have been accused of deploying heavily armed personnel at NUP rallies, with reports of live ammunition being used against crowds. In a particularly shocking incident in the eastern town of Iganga last week, security personnel reportedly fired live rounds, killing at least one person and injuring three others. Tear gas, whips, batons, water cannon, and chemical irritants have also been used to disperse opposition supporters, resulting in numerous injuries.
“It is deeply regrettable that election campaigns have once again been marked by widespread arbitrary arrests, detentions, and the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force against the opposition, as well as undue restriction of press freedom,” Türk stated, as reported by YNews Digital. He called on Ugandan authorities to “cease the use of such repressive tactics to enable Ugandans to fully and peacefully exercise their right to participate in their country’s public affairs on election day, and in its aftermath.”
The UN statement also highlighted a steady increase in reports of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and ill-treatment of opposition supporters over the past year. Security forces are accused of using unmarked minibuses—locally known as “drones”—to ferry detainees to unofficial detention sites or “safe houses,” where they are held incommunicado. This practice, the UN says, is a clear violation of international law, which requires that detainees be held only in officially acknowledged facilities.
One particularly disturbing case occurred in May 2025, when Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the head of Uganda’s military, posted on social media that he was holding the bodyguard of opposition leader Bobi Wine in his “basement.” Following public outrage, the bodyguard was presented in court, visibly shaking and showing signs of physical torture. Despite these signs, the court reportedly failed to react or launch a thorough investigation—a pattern that rights groups say is all too common.
Dozens of opposition supporters remain detained in connection with political activities from the last general election, held more than four years ago. Many of these individuals, according to the UN, have never been formally charged or given a fair trial. “All individuals arbitrarily deprived of liberty should be released,” Türk insisted, urging the Ugandan authorities to “fully and impartially investigate all allegations of enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture or ill treatment, punish those accountable and provide full reparation to the victims.”
Press freedom has also come under sustained attack. In October 2025, journalists from NTV Uganda and The Daily Monitor had their parliamentary accreditations withdrawn, reportedly due to their critical reporting. Earlier in March, at least 32 journalists and media workers were assaulted or had their equipment damaged by security operatives during a by-election in Kawempe North constituency. Türk called on the Ugandan government to uphold the right to freedom of expression and halt all violence against the media and the opposition, stating, “The Ugandan authorities must halt all violence against the media and the opposition and act fully in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law.”
With Uganda entering the final stretch before election day, the international community is watching closely. Observers warn that the government’s response to the UN’s call for accountability and reform may determine whether the electoral period unfolds peacefully or under an intensified crackdown. For many Ugandans, the stakes could not be higher, as the right to participate in free and fair elections, speak out, and assemble peacefully hangs in the balance.
As the world turns its gaze to Kampala, the coming weeks will reveal whether Uganda’s leaders heed the UN’s call for justice and respect for human rights or double down on repression—shaping not only the country’s immediate future but its standing on the global stage.
