Today,听 January 16, 2026听Ugandans are electing a president and parliamentarians. For听forty years the country听has been ruled by President Museveni, his听family and cronies听many of whom originate from the same ethnic听.听Uganda has听gradually transitioned from听鈥榖ecoming a democratic state to an autocratic government.听The听Museveni听government听has used hard and soft forms of repression to suffocate dissent.听The young people鈥� , 听many of whom are under听the听age听 and have听known only听Museveni as president. Under the leadership of Robert Kyagulanyi (aka听Bobi Wine) Ugandans, and especially the youth are struggling for freedom and democracy and听are the targets of听increased听state repression.听 To prevent Uganda and the entire Africa鈥檚 Great Lakes Region from sinking into increased violence, human rights violations,听influx听of refugees,听and听mass听killings听it is important to support the young people鈥檚 struggle.听听
A man with the Uganda flag going though tear gas
President Museveni鈥檚 rule
During his听inauguration in 1986,听Museveni听asserted that it was a 鈥渇undamental change鈥� for the听country and 鈥淎ny individual, any group or person who threatens the security of our people must be smashed without mercy. The people of Uganda should only die from natural causes鈥� but not听from fellow human听.鈥�听
In the same speech, he castigated African leaders who听fail to听uplift their people from poverty.听鈥淗is excellence is going to the United Nations鈥μ齛nd he is there for meetings鈥� when his people听have no shoes,听health care,听food听and other basic needs.听He听has听written听books:听What is Africa鈥檚 problem? (2002) and his answer is 鈥榣eaders who overstay in power and propagate evils including corruption, human rights violations and destruction of the environment. He criticized his predecessors as dictators who failed to serve people, enriching themselves while the population remains impoverished. His second book: Sowing the Mustard Seed听 (1997) is about Uganda鈥檚 struggle for freedom and democracy. However, gradually President Museveni became the autocratic ruler he had condemned when first elected.听
听 To sustain himself in power, the regime has deployed various forms of听 political repression and human rights violations,
Authoritarianism and vote rigging. 听听Authoritarianism is reinforced by听personal/family听control of institutions particularly the military, police, the听judiciary, the legislature and the electoral commission. Museveni has听 in every political election, using tacts such as , killing and kidnapping of opposition polling agents.听 This year, the electoral听 imported electronic/biometric voting machines but never educated the population on how to use them.听 On many polling stations, the machines failed to work,听 to the extent that even President Museveni was unable to use the 听 Authoritarianism is reinforced by institutional control by the president,听 his family and members from his ethnic group. Institutions are headed and monopolized by people from the president’s ethnic group even when they lack the necessary The President鈥檚 son Muhozi听Kainerugaba听is听听Uganda鈥檚 Chief of Defence forces (CDF).听The first lady is the minister of education, a member of parliament and was the minister of Karamoja, although听she is not a Karamojong. This means she received three salaries. 听Several times,听Museveni听has asserted that he is听a听听working for听higher authorities,听himself,听听and听.听听
Corruption and control of national wealth: He refers to national natural resources such as oil听estimated at听6.65听听as 鈥溾��. In fact, revenues from oil, gold, and other natural resources never feature听in the national budget.听 Land, especially where it is fertile and suitable for cultivation, or rich with natural resources (e.g. minerals, metal and oil), locations for business and cattle grazing has been grabbed from Ugandans and is in the hands of people from the president’s family,听 ethnic group, prominent government officials and business people working for the first family. The听president, his听family听and his cronies听in power听have amassed wealth through corruption.听President Museveni鈥檚 manifesto is听now听about听.听The UK government sanctioned Uganda official听including the Speaker of听听and the U.S.听. However, the majority of the population languish in poverty,听听During political campaigns, their听poverty is used to听bribe them听with cash,听food听and听T-shirts听to听.
Poverty and unemployment:听 Uganda has . As of June 2025, Uganda ranked 听on a UN global development index. This index measures standards of living. Children still听听and hospitals are听. According to the World Bank, nearly听 of the population lives on less than US$3 a day. Unemployment is听 between 听 Many youth the majority with university degrees ride motor cycles, locally known as and pay听 to the Uganda revenue agency.
Human rights violations:听 are rampant in Uganda and perpetrators going unpunished. Supporters of Bobi Wine beatings, torture, arrests, disappearances, imprisonment, trials in military courts and extrajudicial killings. Kenyan activists who were kidnapped while attending Bobi Wine’s campaign narrated the ordeal political opponents face in commonly known as safe houses. Museveni refers to torture chambers as ‘.’听 Bodies of some victims have been found thrown in different places. It is also alleged that some people are buried in mass graves at night and others are thrown to crocodiles.听 In 2020, security forces . Bobi Wine himself has听听several assassination attempts. His campaigns are听. He has been , , beaten, shot at听 and prevented from accessing听. While the police and military听brutalizes听civilians, the government is听banning streaming of听听
Digital repression. On the eve of the election day, the government 听internet access, and听听to prevent citizens from sharing evidence of state violence. This digital clampdown is a central tool of听.
Bobi Wine鈥檚听Defiance and听Leadership听in听the听struggle for democracy听听
Bobi听Wine, famously known as the听听to restore Uganda听to its original glory as the Pearl of Africa.听He is promising to restore democracy, constitutionalism,听justice,听and听听rule. He recently contributed to the Playbook for听. He avowed to end corruption,听unify听 and听heal the country, ensure equal access to public services, create jobs, provide quality听education听 and听restore respect for human rights and the听. At the risk of his life, Bobi has campaigned throughout the country for more than 100 days. As people headed to the votes, he encouraged Ugandans not to be afraid. On his he wrote: “The world needs to know what is happening in Uganda on election day. Internet switched off. Massive ballot stuffing reported everywhere. Our leaders, including Deputy President for Western Region, arrested. Many of our polling agents and supervisors abducted, and others chased off polling stations. BVVK machines have failed everywhere. The PEOPLE OF UGANDA MUST RISE TO THE OCCASION AND REJECT THE CRIMINAL REGIME. THE WORLD MUST NEVER GIVE ANY LEGITIMACY TO THE REGIME OF BLOOD AND SHAME.”听
听
Bobi Wine casting his vote /Getty Images
After casting his vote, The military and police have surrounded the residence of Bobi Wine, effectively placing him and his wife under house arrest. Security officers have unlawfully jumped over the perimeter fence and are now erecting tents within his
Why Uganda calls for urgent response听
On January 14, the听 听 and the met with Bobi wine.听 Bobi Wine encouraged the officers not to be compromised by the state.听
It remains crucial to stop a possible genocide and other forms of mass killings.听 Museveni鈥檚 son who is the military chief of staff tweeted about .听Bobi Wine has repeatedly said 鈥淲e have听reliable information that the regime in Uganda听is planning a massacre. They are planning to provoke people into an uprising so they听can听justify听massacres of听people to send a chill听. Several times, during the campaign Bobi appealed to the international community to take interest in the potential massacre in Uganda and prevent it. Ethnic and regional tensions are . Museveni has said every soldier will have听 to silence protesters .
Africa’s Great Lakes region (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the DR Congo)听 has experienced cycles of violence dating back to the 1980s. 听was followed by the听. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda was the chief of military intelligence in Uganda. It was from Uganda that the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) organized and invaded Rwanda (1990-1994). Thus, there is a strong connection between the two countries. In 1996, , triggering a wave of violence that persists to date. The violence is heightened by Museveni鈥檚听 of the DRC and, and that of president for militias, especially the (M23).It is alleged that the听M23 are in Uganda and are employed by听听
The regime鈥檚 violence and human rights violations must be addressed. The violence that ensued in 2021 is a hint to what might happen during the post election period.听 Ugandans are worried that if the regime returned into power, political opponent and areas that have not voted for the president will experience increased repression. Perpetrators of violence and human rights violations must be prosecuted.听
The听Great Lakes Region is on听fire and it is going to get more repressive, especially if听 Uganda experiences post election violence or if there will be no regime change . Uganda鈥檚 neighbours, Tanzania which has been the oasis of peace in the region, has experienced police, 听听and allegedly听听assassination in the post election period . In 2007, Kenya听experienced听post election听violence听and the healing process is far from being achieved.听 听Kenya鈥檚 young people continue to protests against and have been met with .
The struggle for democracy and freedom led by Bobi is an example of how young people across Africa are longing for leaders to build democratic states in line with national, human, and resource potential. If Uganda succeeds, it will not only emancipate Ugandan, it will contribute to peace, security and development in Africa鈥檚 Great Lakes region. Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi听 have听 experienced violence like no other part of Africa. For the West, building democratic states in Africa is one way of stopping the influx of migration to their countries and to archive global developmental strategies such as the sustainable development goals, peace and security. Democracy has long been regarded as鈥痶he political system that 听Today, we urgently need healthy democracies to resolve domestic and global issues, (e.g听wars, poverty, food听insecurity听and climate change) and to realize the Sustainable development goals.听
Possible interventions听
Bobi Wine has continuously called and mobilized Ugandans to “fight’ for their rights and to “liberate” their country. Ugandans must know that they are the ones to spearhead their liberation.
The African Union and other international bodies must remain vigilant.听
Judicial and鈥痜inancial penalties鈥痬ust be imposed on officials, leaders, military and police personnel who have violated peoples rights and plundered national resources. 听
Foreign forces must not provide the government with weapons and military personnel
Bobi Wine must be offered personalized protection by the African Union and/or the United Nations.
Amidst allegations of vote rigging and regime control of institutions including the judiciary, international laws must be followed to verify the election results and to demand accountability from the regime.
Written by Evelyn Mayanja, edited by Sienna Scullion.