As Uganda moves toward the January 2026 general elections, rights organizations are raising alarm over what they describe as a surge in harassment and targeted intimidation against civic educators and political activists.
The Alliance for Equality and Social Protection Uganda (AESPU) and the Uganda Centre for Justice and Human Dignity (UCJHD) say threats against their members have escalated sharply during the ongoing campaign season. UCJHD Chairperson Ruth Nakazzi reported that several civic educators conducting community monitoring and voter-rights training have faced direct harassment, including anonymous warnings intended to silence their work.
Executive Director Daniel K. Mwebe cited one case in which a field coordinator was confronted by unidentified men who ordered him to stop documenting electoral irregularities, accusing him of “stirring trouble.” Mwebe described the incident as a deliberate attempt to obstruct independent democratic monitoring.
AESPU, led by Dr. Monice Nankya, has documented similar intimidation. Senior Election Integrity Officer Lydia Nambale recounted how two community educators were trailed after a voter-awareness session and branded “spies” who would be “dealt with” if they continued their activities. Dr. Nankya warned that such threats endanger transparency and undermine civic participation.
Both organizations say the pattern reflects rising hostility toward independent civic work and poses a growing threat to Uganda’s democratic space. Despite the risks, they reaffirmed their commitment to promoting justice, transparency, and the protection of vulnerable communities.
The reports add to a broader wave of attacks and confrontations involving political actors during the campaign period, including a recent incident involving leading opposition figure Bobi Wine. The National Unity Platform (NUP) president and presidential contender accused police officers of using an electronic taser on him during a tense standoff in Fort Portal City on December 9, 2025.
A video released by his wife, Barbie Itungo, shows the visibly distressed candidate returning to his vehicle with his shirt torn. Bobi Wine said he was “shocked” with a newly introduced crowd-control device after he allegedly refused to follow a police-directed campaign route, warning that the diversion felt like “a planned effort to harm him.”
Police have firmly denied the accusation. Vincent Twesigye, spokesperson for the Rwenzori West region, stated that police had held prior discussions with NUP coordinators and agreed on a route entering the region via Kihura–Rwamwanja–Kahunge and exiting through Harubaho. He accused the candidate of repeatedly violating the agreed plan, leading to multiple standoffs throughout the day.
According to Twesigye, disputes over the route caused a 90-minute delay at Kihura Trading Centre, another confrontation in Harubaho, and a prolonged final standoff in Ibonde from mid-afternoon until 7 p.m., when the candidate was escorted to his lodging. He insisted that security forces “will not concede to any attempts by candidates to flout agreed-upon arrangements or portray themselves as victims.”
