Journalist Canary Mugume Raises Questions Following Museveni’s Ban on Police Bonds

Journalist Canary Mugume has raised concerns over President Yoweri Museveni's decision to ban police bonds, a move announced during his New Year address to the nation.

Museveni declared that police officers issuing bonds to suspects, particularly village thieves whose cases are ready for trial, would face accountability.

The president stated during his end of year address that he had raised the issue with the chief justice and has banned the police bonds.

Reacting to the announcement on X, Mugume highlighted the potential legal and political implications of the directive.

“President Museveni banned Police bonds in his New Year address last evening, disregarding the Police Act where it’s established. With a tough political year beginning today, could this be a move to silence dissent?” he wrote.

Police bonds, enshrined in the Police Act, allow suspects to secure temporary release pending further investigations.

Legal experts argue that the President lacks the constitutional authority to unilaterally revoke police bonds, a provision firmly rooted in law.

Others fear the directive could lead to the misuse of police powers to detain individuals, including political opponents, indefinitely.

Mugume’s observations echo growing concerns over the potential erosion of legal protections and democratic freedoms in Uganda as the country navigates a politically charged period.