By Kabuye Ronald
Police have confirmed they arrested prominent lawyer, human rights defender and election observer Dr. Sarah Bireete after surrounding her residence in Kampala, an incident that has drawn sharp public attention amid heightened political activity ahead of Uganda’s 2026 general elections.
Dr. Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), alerted the public through her verified X account (@SarahBireete), posting shortly before her arrest: “My house is under siege by Police and Army.”
Police later confirmed that Dr. Bireete had been taken into custody and is being held as investigations continue. She is expected to be arraigned before court in due course.
Confirming the development, Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Rachael Kawala said the Uganda Police Force had arrested Dr. Bireete and assured the public that due process would be followed.
“The Uganda Police Force would like to confirm the arrest of Sarah Bireete, Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance. She is currently in police custody and will be arraigned before court in due course,” Kawala said.
Close associates later confirmed that Dr. Bireete was taken to Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala, where she remains detained. Police separately confirmed that she is being held at CPS pending court appearance.
Dr. Bireete is a well-known figure in Uganda’s civil society and governance space. She is the founding partner and Executive Director of CCG, a Kampala-based constitutional and governance watchdog focused on electoral integrity, the rule of law, civic education and accountability.
She also serves as Chairperson of the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (EHORN) and the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM). Through these roles, she has been a vocal critic of the involvement of security forces in political processes and has consistently raised concerns about the militarisation of elections, the conduct of security agencies and the protection of civil liberties.
Dr. Bireete has been actively involved in civil society monitoring and advocacy related to preparations for the 2026 electoral process.
