By Ben Musanje
Dr. Sarah Bireete, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), has publicly slammed the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) as “useless” while recounting a terrifying military and police raid on her home.
In a dramatic account shared at her CCG Prayer Altar that is soon becoming a church in Ntinda, Dr. Bireete revealed that security forces surrounded her house for more than two hours during Christmas. She was in the middle of taking a shower when officers came to her bedroom with guns. “If you want to come in, you are welcome to join me, but I will take my shower, dress up, and then interface with you,” she said, adding that two soldiers stood guard outside the bathroom.
The raid, according to Dr. Bireete, was part of security profiling in the run-up to elections. Her frequent international travel and leadership roles in multiple regional and global election monitoring organizations had drawn attention from security agencies. “They wanted to know how an NGO could work globally and whether we were hiding information. I shared everything openly, but it didn’t matter,” she explained.
During her detention at Natete Police Station, Dr. Bireete was denied access to her lawyers for nearly 48 hours, and her family struggled to deliver even basic meals. Security officers also took photographs of her children, which she described as “completely unnecessary.”
Dr. Bireete was sharply critical of the UHRC. A month ago, the Commission claimed on social media that it had visited her in custody and that she had access to her lawyers. “If they can lie about me, how do they protect ordinary citizens?” she asked, vowing to hold officials accountable for misleading reports.
Following her arrest, a women-led protest was planned in Kampala, organized by activists including Edith Grace Ssempala (Alliance for National Transformation), Rita Kase (Women of Uganda Network), and Flavia Nabagabe Kalule (NUP Women’s League). The demonstration, set to march from Natete to the city center demanding her release, ultimately did not take place.
After more than three weeks in custody, Dr. Bireete was granted bail by Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court. She faced charges of unlawfully obtaining or disclosing voter data from the Electoral Commission—charges she denies. Grade One Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko ruled that she met all legal and constitutional requirements for release.
Despite the ordeal, Dr. Bireete shared a mission inspired by her detention: empowering women with knowledge of their rights. “Seventy percent of the women I met in prison were there because of domestic issues and could not afford legal help,” she said. She called on civil society and leaders to create a guide for women, in local languages, to help them navigate relationships and legal matters—so fewer women end up behind bars unjustly.
Dr. Bireete’s shocking revelations have reignited national debate on human rights, election security overreach, and the effectiveness of oversight institutions like the UHRC. Supporters say her story exposes systemic flaws in Uganda’s justice system, especially for outspoken civil society leaders. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
