By Ben Musanje
At a media event hosted by the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) on December 4, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel, journalists and Civil Society activists posed tough questions to government officials regarding various issues ranging from police conduct to political freedoms and electoral fairness.
The event provided an open platform for scrutiny, where reporters sought clarity on pressing human rights concerns ahead of the upcoming 2026 elections.
The discussions were heated, with journalists and some civil society actors confronting officials from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), the Electoral Commission, UHRC and Uganda Police about their roles in ensuring free and fair elections.
One of the key moments came when a reporter questioned UCC’s stance on a controversial video showing a police officer allegedly spraying tear gas directly into the eyes of a protestor, later dismissed as AI-generated by EC’s spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi.
The journalist pressed for clarity on the potential consequences of AI-manipulated content in undermining the image of Uganda’s governance and its political climate.
Another point of contention was the police’s actions in Arua, where a presidential candidate was reportedly blocked from accessing the city despite clearance from the Electoral Commission.
The journalist questioned why the police were acting in direct contradiction to the Commission’s guidelines, which specify that campaigning must conclude by 6 p.m.
The question aimed at understanding the broader issues of electoral interference and police bias in the political arena.
A follow-up question to UCC raised the legality of their decision to shut down Facebook, a platform owned by an international company. The journalist asked whether UCC had followed due processes or consulted Facebook before making such a drastic move, reflecting widespread concerns about digital rights and freedom of expression.
George Bukenya, a reporter from Daily Star and Daily Mail, addressed a critical issue of police double standards. He noted that protests from the ruling party seemed to escape police intervention, while those from the opposition were met with a heavy-handed response.
His inquiry aimed to expose potential biases in the police’s handling of political dissent, questioning the impartiality of law enforcement.
The Deputy Secretary General of the Justice Forum (JEEMA), Eddy Kasajja, also raised concerns about police bias, specifically accusing the police of discriminatory actions when it came to political affiliations.
His comments echoed frustrations over what he described as an unfair application of the law, particularly in Kampala’s political districts, which he said had led to unfair targeting of opposition figures.
A standout moment in the event came when Kasajja directed a pointed question to the Uganda Human Rights Commission’s chairperson Mariam Wangadya regarding the prolonged detention of Dr. Kizza Besigye, a prominent opposition figure.
He questioned why, despite the Commission’s mandate to protect human rights, Besigye had been held for over a year without a trial. His call for accountability underlined the need for greater transparency in Uganda’s legal and political systems.
Civil society representatives also weighed in on the discussion. Charity Ahimbisibwe, the Executive Director of the Electoral Laws Institute, expressed concern over the lack of accountability regarding human rights violations, including the recent death of a young man, Meshach Okello, allegedly caused by police violence at a political rally in Iganga district.
Ahimbisibwe criticized the Uganda Human Rights Commission for not addressing this incident, alongside other violent acts that occurred during the 2021 election period, and urged the Commission to hold the responsible parties accountable.
The session also highlighted a disconnect between the UHRC’s public statements and its actions in protecting political freedoms, with Ahimbisibwe calling for the inclusion of victims’ stories such as those injured by police forces into the Commission’s reports.
She underscored the importance of ensuring a “level playing field” for all political actors in the lead-up to the 2026 general elections.
Ultimately, the discussions at the UHRC event revealed a deepening divide between government institutions and civil society, with questions centered around the integrity of Uganda’s electoral process, police behavior, and the protection of fundamental human rights.
The journalists’ hard-hitting questions reflected a growing sense of urgency in holding authorities accountable for ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process in the coming year.
As the 2026 election draws nearer, these issues are likely to remain at the forefront of public discourse, with continued pressure on government bodies to uphold the rights and freedoms of all Ugandans. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
