UN Experts Warn Uganda’s Digital and Security Crackdown Threatens 2026 Elections

New allegations of enforced disappearances, spyware use, media suppression and online censorship raise alarm over election integrity ahead of January 2026 vote.

As Uganda approaches general elections scheduled for 15 January 2026, UN human rights experts have warned that a pervasive climate of fear—marked by enforced disappearances, digital surveillance, violent crowd control tactics, and the systematic suppression of civil society and independent media—poses a serious threat to the possibility of peaceful and credible elections.

The experts say the patterns emerging during the current campaign closely mirror those documented during the 2021 elections, when at least 18 cases of enforced disappearance were confirmed.

Security Force Deployment and “Drone” Abductions

Since the start of the campaign, Ugandan authorities have reportedly deployed heavy security forces to suppress rallies of the main opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP). Tactics allegedly include the use of chemical irritants, water cannons, and live ammunition at close range, resulting in at least one confirmed death.

In 2025 alone, at least 160 cases of enforced disappearance have been reported. According to the experts, security operatives have allegedly used unmarked “drone” vehicles to abduct opposition supporters for incommunicado detention in undisclosed “safe houses,” raising serious concerns about enforced disappearance and torture.

“The permanent deployment of crowd control vehicles, such as water cannons without responding to a specific situation, does not bode well for peaceful elections,” the experts warned.

Mass Arrests and Judicial Defiance

More than 550 opposition members and supporters have reportedly been arrested for political activities. The experts also raised concern that the Government has failed to implement a Supreme Court ruling ordering the transfer of politically linked cases from military to civilian courts.

Taken together, they said, these practices indicate that conditions must be urgently strengthened to prevent violence, reprisals, and systemic intimidation ahead of the vote.

Press Freedom and Digital Rights Under Siege

The experts stressed that press freedom and digital rights are under simultaneous assault. In March 2025 alone, at least 32 journalists were assaulted or had equipment damaged during a by-election. Radio programs have been suspended under vague claims of violating “public morality,” while journalists critical of Parliament have had their accreditations withdrawn.

Online expression is increasingly curtailed through enforcement of the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, which has been used to silence digital dissent.

Surveillance, Spyware, and Civil Society Targeting

The report highlights growing allegations of digital surveillance, including phone hacking and the use of malware and spyware against human rights defenders and civil society leaders.

Civil society organisations have faced bank account freezes, permit delays, and restrictive district-level memoranda of understanding. Groups working on sexual orientation and gender identity have been systematically denied registration, raising concerns of discriminatory practices previously examined by UN mechanisms.

“Surveillance practices risk discouraging citizens from engaging in election-related activities,” the experts said, stressing that an independent civil society is essential to election credibility.

Call to Action for Tech and Investigative Journalists

The UN experts urged Ugandan authorities to:

• Immediately stop violence and the use of disproportionate force

• Clarify the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared

• End arbitrary detentions and surveillance practices

• Refrain from internet and social media shutdowns

• Ensure independent investigations and accountability

For tech, cybersecurity, digital rights, and investigative journalists, the findings provide a critical basis for:

• Reporting on election-related surveillance and spyware use

• Investigating digital repression and online censorship laws

• Tracking enforced disappearances using open-source methods

• Assessing the role of technology in election integrity and human rights

“Elections cannot be considered free and fair if the rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression are not fully ensured,” the experts said, warning that closing civic space risks triggering further electoral violence.

The experts confirmed they remain in contact with the Ugandan Government and encouraged media, researchers, and civil society actors to scrutinise and report on these developments ahead of the 2026 vote.

The full UN communication is available now and intended to support evidence-based reporting, digital accountability, and election integrity monitoring.

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