As Uganda heads towards a period of elections, two grassroots civil society groups Voices for Democracy Uganda (VDU) and Citizens’ Ballot Network (CBN) are concerned about “a coordinated campaign of intimidation” against their members in the run-up to local district elections.
VDU whose chairperson is Moses Kaggwa, and CBN also led by Sarah Nakirya, have been collaborating for months in the districts of Luwero, Mukono, and Gulu to monitor polling stations, educate voters about their rights, and report instances of malpractice. Both organizations claim that their members have been attacked, detained without charge, and threatened by unidentified individuals who they believe are acting with the approval of security personnel.
“Our volunteers have been beaten, their phones confiscated, and in some cases, dragged out of community meetings simply for talking about free and fair elections,” said Kaggwa. “This is not democracy. This is intimidation designed to silence any voice that dares to demand accountability.”
According to the two organizations, at least 14 of their members have been assaulted within the last three weeks. In Luwero District, a VDU field coordinator, Patrick Odoi, was allegedly bundled into an unmarked van by men posing as police officers. He was released 48 hours later, with injuries to his back and legs. Lydia Namusoke, CBN’s youth mobilization leader in Mukono, claims she was followed home by two motorcycles after attending a voter sensitization event, and she later received anonymous calls warning her to “stop meddling with the election.”
Nakirya claims that this harassment is “part of a broader culture of fear” designed to discourage citizens from questioning electoral processes.
“The police are supposed to protect all Ugandans, not act as enforcers for political interests,” she told reporters. “Instead of ensuring safety at rallies and debates, they are shutting them down, citing ‘security reasons’ which is just another way to stop fair elections.”
The groups are now urging Uganda’s government to publicly commit to protecting election monitors’ work and allowing open criticism without repercussions. They also call on international observers and human rights organizations to document and respond to the increasing threats against grassroots democracy activists.
Despite the intimidation, both VDU and CBN have stated that they will continue their work, claiming that “fear cannot win over the will of the people.”
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