By Ben Musanje
The Board of Directors of the Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG) has raised concerns over the delayed prosecution of their Executive Director, Sarah Bireete, following her arrest, calling the prolonged detention a violation of her constitutional rights.
Bireete was arrested on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 30, 2025, by security operatives at her private residence in Mukono and has been held at Nateete Police Station in Kampala since.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Rachel Kawala confirmed Bireete’s arrest and detention but did not disclose any alleged offenses against her.
Addressing journalists at CCG’s headquarters in Ministers’ Village, Ntinda, on Friday morning, Godbar Tumushabe, Chairperson of the CCG Board of Directors, stated that as of January 2, 2026, more than 48 hours had passed without Bireete being produced in court.
“This delay is a direct violation of her liberty and constitutes illegal detention under Article 23(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda,” Tumushabe said. The provision stipulates that “A person arrested, restricted, or detained shall be informed immediately, in a language that the person understands, of the reasons for the arrest, restriction, or detention and of his or her right to a lawyer of his or her choice.”
Tumushabe, who also serves as Associate Director at the Kampala-based Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies, criticized the Uganda Police Force for disregarding established investigative procedures. He highlighted that Bireete is a prominent public figure and a recognized pro-democracy and human rights activist with a known residence and a consistent history of responding to police summons. “It is therefore unreasonable and disrespectful of her personal liberty to bypass standard procedures and detain her arbitrarily,” he added.
The CCG Board further alleged that police conducted a search of Bireete’s home without a valid search warrant, confiscating several items, including the phones of her two teenage sons, leaving the children traumatized.
Andrew Karamagi, an Associate Lawyer at CCG, noted that Bireete’s family, lawyers, and colleagues have faced significant restrictions in accessing her. Despite this, police have not disclosed any specific charges. Attempts to secure her release on bond have been met with reluctance and outright refusal. By the time of reporting, authorities had yet to formalize any charges to justify her appearance in court.
The Board affirmed that they are doing everything possible to support Bireete and ensure continuity of work at CCG. They emphasized that Bireete’s pen and voice remain her only weapons against injustice and the ongoing democratic challenges in Uganda and the region, through which the voices of ordinary citizens and victims of abuse are amplified.
The Board also called on the government to stop fearing knowledge and free expression, urging that civil society leaders like Bireete, and all citizens who amplify the concerns of the marginalized, be allowed to operate without intimidation or obstruction. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
