Political policing in Uganda and what it means for the 2026 vote

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni addressing the media after casting his vote at a polling station during the presidential elections in Kirihura in western Uganda, February 18, 2016.[FILE]

Uganda’s police have long faced criticism for politically charged interventions. These include episodes in which lethal force has been used in ways observers describe as excessive or indiscriminate. The main targets of restrictive or coercive tactics are supporters of the political opposition.

For example, in November 2020, weeks before the 2021 elections, protests following the arrest of the main opposition candidate escalated into nationwide unrest, leaving more than 100 people dead.