Prominent human rights activist Freddie Murungi has issued a sharp warning about the escalating repression of opposition voices in Uganda, accusing the regime of silencing dissent through fear, violence, and legal manipulation.
Murungi noted that under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s leadership, Uganda’s democratic space has been systematically eroded, with opposition actors subjected to arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and military trials that undermine the rule of law.
“Opposition voices are met with fear, violence, and suppression while the regime cloaks its crimes under a flag,” Murungi said, referencing the government’s habit of justifying repressive acts in the name of patriotism and stability.
The activist further criticized the newly introduced 2025 Military Courts Bill, calling it another political weapon designed to intimidate critics ahead of the 2026 general elections. According to Murungi, the bill entrenches the military’s role in handling civilian cases, a practice long condemned by international human rights organizations as unconstitutional and abusive.
Murungi’s remarks add weight to concerns that the 2026 elections may be held under heightened repression, further diminishing hopes for a free and fair democratic process.
This comes amid growing evidence of shrinking freedoms in Uganda, where opposition parties such as the National Unity Platform (NUP) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have repeatedly accused security agencies of harassment. The use of military courts against civilians has been challenged in Ugandan courts before, with the Constitutional Court in 2021 ruling that civilians should not be tried in military courts, yet the practice has persisted.