By The Pearl of Africa News Correspondent
Opinion | January 12, 2026
As Uganda approaches the January 15 elections, the country finds itself confronting a profound and uncomfortable paradox. A state accused for decades of violating its own laws is now urging citizens to respect legality, order, and restraint. It is a contradiction that has not gone unnoticed by the public. Rather, it has sharpened a long-simmering national debate about power, accountability, and the true meaning of the rule of law.
There are few moments more revealing in politics than when those accused of systematic wrongdoing present themselves as guardians of morality. As political analyst Dr. Daniel Kawuma argues in his opinion essay, the current moment in Uganda resembles “a lecture on honesty delivered by a pickpocket.” The words may sound correct, but the messenger exposes the deeper problem.
“When those who routinely violate the Constitution invoke the Constitution, it is not a call to order; it is a warning.”
For nearly four decades, President Yoweri Museveni’s administration has presided over a steady erosion of independent institutions. Critics argue that instead of strengthening these, the state has systematically politicized them. The result, according to civil society groups and opposition leaders, is a system where loyalty outweighs legality. Survival of the regime eclipses service to citizens.
Elections Under a Cloud of Fear
The current electoral cycle has once again placed these concerns at the center of national attention. From the outset, decisions by the Electoral Commission have raised alarm. Several opposition candidates, particularly those associated with the National Unity Platform (NUP), have reportedly been blocked from nomination. Others have been disqualified after nomination or pushed out of races through administrative processes, leaving ruling-party candidates running unopposed.
For many Ugandans, these actions undermine confidence in the credibility of the electoral process itself. Elections, they argue, cannot be reduced to the mere presence of ballot papers or voting machines if competition is curtailed before polling day.
At the same time, reports of violence by security forces have deepened public unease. During this election period alone, civilians have been killed or seriously injured in incidents involving police and military personnel. Some of these episodes were captured on camera and circulated widely on social media, drawing international attention. Yet, as observers note, there have been no transparent investigations, no public suspensions of commanding officers, and no prosecutions.
“In Uganda today, the gravest crime is not killing a civilian. It is demanding accountability.”
Arrests, Detentions, and Silenced Voices
Human rights organizations estimate that more than 400 opposition supporters remain under arrest nationwide. Many have been denied bail, held for prolonged periods without trial, or charged with offenses that lawyers describe as weak or fabricated. Behind these statistics are human stories: families losing breadwinners, children growing up without parents, and livelihoods abruptly destroyed.
Civil society has also come under increasing pressure. In recent days, government authorities have suspended the operations of several prominent nongovernmental organizations, including groups focused on democracy and governance. These suspensions not only silence independent voices but also affect ordinary Ugandans employed by these organizations.
Against this backdrop, state officials and institutions continue to appear on television and radio calling on citizens to “respect the law” and “maintain peace” during the elections. For many listeners, the message rings hollow.
Law Versus Power
Ugandans, as Dr. Kawuma notes, are not confused about the difference between law and power. They see how the law is selectively applied: used to jail critics, deregister opponents, and shield perpetrators of violence. They understand that elections conducted under fear, censorship, and brutality cannot meet the standard of being free and fair, regardless of procedural formalities.
“Elections held under fear, censorship, and brutality cannot be free, no matter how many ballot papers are printed.”
January 15 therefore represents more than a routine political contest. It is a choice between two visions of the country: one where the law binds everyone equally. Another where the law is enforced primarily against the powerless. It is a choice between institutions that serve citizens and institutions that exist to preserve a regime.
A Quiet Moment of Decision
History shows that regimes built on fear often demand obedience without consent. They normalize hypocrisy in the name of stability. But history also shows that such systems eventually face resistance. Not always through dramatic upheaval, but sometimes through quiet, resolute acts of courage.
That courage may take the form of citizens protecting their vote, documenting irregularities, standing lawfully near polling stations, and refusing to be intimidated. As Dr. Kawuma argues, courage is not always loud. Sometimes it is simply persistent.
Uganda’s struggle will not end on January 15. But the day offers an opportunity to begin turning a page—to assert peacefully and lawfully that power without accountability is no longer acceptable.
The question confronting the nation is stark and unavoidable: How much longer should a law-breaking government be allowed to rule in the name of the law? On January 15, Ugandans have a chance to respond.
