Uganda Law Society (ULS) joins other civic organisations to condemn the recent crackdown on National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters in Mbarara.
What began as a peaceful campaign rally quickly turned into a scene marked by arrests, beatings, and the mysterious disappearance of dozens of supporters and journalists. The heavy-handed police operation has left families anxious and the public demanding accountability, as no clear explanation has been provided for the detentions.
The Law Society challenges the authorities’ justification for the actions and calls for the immediate release and fair treatment of all those detained ahead of the 2025/26 general elections.
This unfolding crisis highlights growing concerns about electoral fairness and human rights in Uganda, as security forces appear to be undermining political freedoms through intimidation and violence.
The ULS issued a strong statement last week a few hours after the ugly incidents happened. The incidents occurred as NUP supporters were en route to a scheduled rally in Bwizibwera Town Council, with many detained under unclear circumstances and their current whereabouts unknown.
The NUP presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, revealed that over 100 supporters— including parliamentary candidates, foot soldiers, and journalists—were arrested and detained following a heavy security crackdown on the campaign convoy.
Many detainees reportedly suffered severe beatings, and some remain handcuffed inside police cells or held in prisons beyond Mbarara. The police-led operation involved a large security presence that used what witnesses described as unreasonable force to disrupt the NUP rally efforts.
While the police claimed the arrests targeted individuals suspected of offenses committed during earlier NUP campaign events, the ULS has dismissed this explanation as unconvincing and questioned why lawful summons or public notices were not issued instead.
The Law Society labeled the actions as intimidation, obstruction, and forcible disappearance of peaceful political participants engaging in legitimate electoral activities.
The ULS has urged the police and relevant authorities to account for all arrested individuals and conduct any investigations lawfully and transparently, respecting fundamental rights and democratic principles.
It emphasized its commitment to using legal and advocacy means to hold those responsible accountable and protect citizens’ rights amid rising electoral tensions in Uganda. In light of this situation, the ULS called on members willing to offer pro bono legal support to assist those affected.
The Society also appealed for an end to excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and tactics undermining the democratic process as Uganda continues its electoral cycle. This development underscores the growing concerns over election-related violence and the suppression of opposition activities in Uganda, raising calls for greater vigilance to uphold the rule of law and political freedoms ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The ULS’s statement reflects a broader demand for respect of human rights and political inclusion during this critical period.
The problem is an order from above. these police/army officers were deployed by an invisible hand to terrorize nup. ugandans will discover who this is, funding security officers to break the law
The security officers work with the judiciary. The moment they illegally arrest the nup supporters, the judges are also deployed by the invisible hand in court with orders to send the poor people to jail. They do it faster than Judge Baguma is handling Besigye’s case.
Santa, there is no such a thing or person as ‘invisible hand’. The invisible hand is our 85-years-old PROBLEM OF AFRICA, Gen Tibuhaburwa, who in Nov 2017, loud and clear told off Ugandans and the whole wide world that he is the AUTHOR and MASTER OF VIOLENCE.
In other words, in order to MASTER VIOLENCE on Ugandans, when, from where and on whom did Mr. M7 practice VIOLENCE?
Therefore, if Mr. M7 is a self-confessed AUTHOR and MASTER OF VIOLENCE; it logically means and follows that: even during Amin’s regime, he/M7 was the architect/author behind all the insecurity, abduction, torture, forced disappearances, extrajudicial etc. BUT were blamed on Amin as the Era of Terror and Murder.
This is because, although Amin was ejected from power on 11th April 1979, and he later passed on in 2003 in Saudi Arabia Exile, abductions, torture, forced disappearances and extrajudicial murders goes on unabated.
In other words, where were you in Nov 2017 e.g., commanded by Gen Kayihura who was IGP; after the opposition MPs were beaten up inside the Parliamentary Chamber, many like the Hons: Ssemujju, Francis Zaake, Odonga Otto, Nambooze (back broken) and others were arrested and bundle into the now notorious numberless Drone vans.
After which Gen M7 told off the country that he is the AUTHOR and MASTER OF VIOLENCE. It was because these MPs were getting into the way of the amendment to remove AGE LIMIT from the 1995 Constitution.
This is what happened in Tanzania as oppositions were arrested before elections to give a gap to the incumbent a win or a walk over. This indicates that there is no democracy in Uganda things are still as before though the citizens are color blind with their no change.
They have forgotten what happened in past. If the leader does not what to be challenged then he should not waste tax payer’s money to organize the elections since he knows already he has a win.
His Excellence President Museven once in the public said the probem with Africa is leaders over stay in power which is now we are experiencing. Historians say history repeats its self no wonder!!!!
Once in the past one of the previous leaders said ” Entebbe ewooma but that is life mwattu. We have to accept and bear with the situation though there is time to live and die.
This indicates that the number has increased to those ugandans do not know the where abouts of those arrested five years ago thus reducing the number of voters albeit votes after intimidation.
The new come lately NUP political party is probably 60 percent confused about how to manage to unite the stake holders of Uganda! Most citizens remember how the leader of this party came out singing off presidential candidate Dr Besigye as ineffective and he therefore declared that his democracy works to remove this stubborn dictatorship. Dr Besigye after trying four times to unseat President Museveni gave up saying akapapula tekayinza kujjako M7! It is unfortunate that there are presently many youths arrested, locked up and many more killed for supporting a fake democratic process in this country. The democratic process these many young activists are trying hard to support is violent, it is full of Gerrymandering and it is not free and fair and it cannot be recognized world wide. By NUP encouraging the young citizens to continue to participate in such violent inhuman activity is to commit a crime!
Well said brother. Yes elections are not elections in uganda and largely in Africa. I gave up on politicians in uganda when a bobi wine made himself an advocate of museveni’s democracy version and declared that democracy exists in uganda contrary to what DrKB was saying. The guy equated deomocracy to standing 4 times for president despite the electoral flaws and established truth that the EC will announce a particular candidate whether he is voted into power or not. As of now, myself and many others have no hope in the electoral process or any candidate so we shall just stay home and watch.
The dodgy Uganda Law Society to have come out and try to legitimise or beautify such crooked national election activities which everybody can understand as criminal makes one wonder which side is this organisation? The side of the criminals or the side of the innocent until proved guilty? So then where does the ULS want those who have any electrol complaints to take their cases for judgement where one of the Supreme court judges has absconded and run into exile?