Uganda detains a well-known rights activist and government critic before elections

Authorities in Uganda have announced the detention of a notable human rights activist as President Yoweri Museveni’s administration intensifies its efforts to suppress dissent and political opposition in the lead-up to the general election on January 15.

Police confirmed on Tuesday via a post on social media platform X that Sarah Bireete, the head of a rights organization and a regular anti-government commentator on local TV and radio, has been detained.

She is currently in the custody of the police. She is set to be arraigned before the court in due course,” the post stated, without detailing the timing of her court appearance or the charges she may face.

Bireete, a lawyer and executive director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), has expressed criticism regarding various government actions, including what the opposition claims are unlawful detentions and the torture of its supporters.

The CCG was unavailable for comment at this time.

The January election features incumbent Museveni, 81, who has held power since 1986, facing off against pop-star-turned-politician Bobi Wine.

Wine, 43, along with his National Unity Platform party, claims that hundreds of their members have been detained this year, including during the campaigns, in an effort to intimidate his supporters and undermine party morale.

In the previous month, U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned what he characterized as a “intensifying crackdown” on the opposition in Uganda, noting that at least 550 supporters of the NUP had been detained this year.

Kizza Besigye, another prominent opposition figure, has been in prison for over a year following his detention on treason charges.

Wine was assaulted by security forces during his campaign in the northern region of the country, and although police have pledged to investigate the reported incident, no findings have been released.