Uganda elections: UN cautions against growing violence and crackdown ahead of January 15 polls
By Aloys Michael, January 11, 2026The United Nations (UN) has warned that Uganda’s January 15 elections are unfolding amid escalating repression, intimidation, and violence.
According to a report from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), opposition leaders, activists, and journalists have faced arbitrary arrests, raids, and prolonged detention.
Security forces, including the police, military, and the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force, are said to have used both lethal and non-lethal force to disperse peaceful assemblies, and opposition supporters have been abducted in unmarked vehicles.
Speaking on the report, UN Human Rights spokesperson Marta Hurtado said, “Next week’s elections in Uganda will take place in an environment marked by widespread repression and intimidation against the political opposition, human rights defenders, journalists, and those with dissenting views.”
Hurtado noted that opposition parties, particularly the National Unity Platform (NUP), have been disproportionately affected.
“Ugandan authorities have arrested and detained opposition leaders and activists, raided the premises of political opposition parties, and confiscated their property. They have also suspended radio stations, arrested bloggers, and tightened control over NGOs,” she said on Friday, January 9, 2026.
Roadblocks, raids, and forced dispersals have prevented opposition gatherings, while the government has imposed bans on live broadcasting of what it terms “riots and unlawful processions.”
High-profile opposition figures remain in detention. Leading opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been held on treason charges since being abducted in Kenya in November 2024, and his associate Obeid Lutale has repeatedly been denied bail.
At the same time, human rights defenders have raised alarm over the risk of violence in Uganda ahead of the next election, warning that civilians could be targeted if urgent international action is not taken.
Rights group expresses concern
In a statement posted on X on Friday, January 9, 2026, the rights group said early signs point to possible unrest, calling on global bodies to act before the situation worsens. The warning comes amid growing political tension in the country as election preparations begin.
The rights defenders said the concern is not abstract but based on patterns seen in previous election cycles, where security operations and armed groups were blamed for widespread abuses. They urged international institutions to shift from issuing alerts to taking firm steps that could deter violence and protect ordinary citizens.
“As violence against civilians looms, we demand the UN system move beyond warnings to a clear pathway toward criminal accountability. The UN, International Criminal Court, African Union & international partners must closely monitor Uganda’s top military officers and state-backed criminal vigilante groups, including so-called ‘Ghetto Structures,’ reportedly being mobilised nationwide to provoke chaos, instigate riots, and justify violent crackdowns,” the statement read.
The group said such monitoring is critical to prevent a repeat of past election-related violence, where communities were left traumatized and victims struggled to find justice. They argued that failure to act early sends a dangerous signal to those who may be planning abuses, encouraging them to believe they will face no consequences.