Amnesty International asks Uganda to investigate election violence

Amnesty International has asked Ugandan authorities to investigate the allegations of violence meted out against opposition members and supporters during and ahead of the 2026 general elections.

The organisation says security forces targeted members and supporters of the opposition party National Unity Platform (NUP) with lethal force, arbitrary arrests, torture, and other ill-treatment before, during, and after the January 15, 2026, general elections.

It says it received multiple reports indicating that between January 15 and January 18, 2026, the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Police Force likely killed at least 16 people across the countryusing unlawful force.

“They also arbitrarily arrested hundreds, subjected some to incommunicado detention, or held them in unknown places of detention. Others were subjected to forms of ill-treatment, including acts that amount to torture, during arrests and while in detention,” the statement said.

It said these violations occurred amid a nationwide Internet shutdown imposed by the authorities just two days before the elections.

“Three months since security forces meted out untold brutality on the public, no one has been held accountable,” Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said.

“Ugandan authorities must ensure that all allegations of human rights violations by the security forces are thoroughly, promptly, impartially, and effectively investigated and that the officers responsible are held accountable. Officers suspected of carrying out these abuses, including those who ordered or enabled them, must be suspended from work pending the completion of investigations,” Tigere added.

Kituuma Rusoke, the police spokesperson, on Sunday said he had not read the Amnesty International report and could not respond to our inquiries.

He, however, said once he gets access to the report, he will consult internally before issuing a response.

Chris Magezi, the acting Director of Defence Public Information, did not respond to our calls.

Amnesty International said between 5 January and 21 March, it interviewed 33 men and 15 women based in Kampala city, Rubaga, Luwero, Bulenga, Mityana, Mukono, Rukiga, Mbarara, Luuka, Wakiso, Lira, Tororo districts, and the Busoga region.

The organisation said it documented 10 incidents in which security officials appear to have used unlawful lethal force that resulted in the killing of at least seven people in Butambala, at least three people in Bulenga, two people in Luwero, and one person each in Rubaga, Nsambya, Mityana, and Mukono.

Tigere said Amnesty International verified postmortem reports of six victims, all of which indicated that they had died from gunshot injuries, and family members told Amnesty International they were not allowed to witness the postmortem process and that authorities had not launched investigations into the deaths.

“On election night, as election agents of opposition Member of Parliament Mwanga Kivumbi gathered in his Butambala home to return the declaration of results forms, the army stormed the compound and shot and killed at least seven people,” evidence gathered by Amnesty International indicates.

On 15 January in Rubaga, Victoria Ndagire, 33, was walking back home with others after voting when she was shot from the back of her head, with the bullet exiting through her eye. Security officers who came to the scene alleged that “she could have been hit by a stone.” Witnesses told Amnesty International that before the incident, they saw two-armed officers nearby. According to her postmortem report, she died from gunshot injuries.

Tigere also said 17 documented cases of arbitrary arrests, and 12 others who were arbitrarily arrested with them have never been released to date, and warned the government to stop the continued detention.

“Authorities must immediately and unconditionally release those still in detention solely for exercising their rights,” he said.

Torture and other ill-treatment

Amnesty International said it interviewed 12 people who reported being subjected to torture and other ill-treatment by security officers during arrests or while in detention.

“They described being beaten with wires, sticks, and batons. Some were hit with an axe on their ankles, while others said they were squeezed with pliers on different body parts. In three cases, medical reports reviewed by Amnesty International corroborated victims’ testimonies,” as a statement from Amnesty International said.