Rights groups are warning of potential “mass atrocities” in Uganda ahead of the 2026 elections, with President Yoweri Museveni seeking a seventh term, a crackdown on the opposition, and violent rhetoric from his son and heir apparent, Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Museveni, 80, who has ruled Uganda for 40 years, launched voter registration last week in preparation for the January 12 election.
The opposition, led by musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, has accused the government of using violence to maintain power. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, claims hundreds of opposition supporters were killed or disappeared during the 2021 elections, where he posed the biggest challenge to Museveni’s regime. “We don’t expect the coming elections to be better,” Wine said, adding that Museveni’s government relies on violence due to its lack of legitimacy. Despite the threats, Wine vowed to continue his struggle for liberation.
The president’s son, Muhoozi, escalated tensions with a recent post on X, threatening Wine with violence, though Wine dismissed it as symbolic of the regime’s brutality. Other opposition leaders have also faced persecution, including Kizza Besigye, who was kidnapped in Kenya and now faces treason charges in Uganda, and 36 Forum for Democratic Change members, who were arrested during a seminar in Kenya and charged with terrorism.
Former Supreme Court judge George Kanyeihamba described violence as a hallmark of elections under Museveni, predicting only a “miracle” could ensure peaceful elections in 2026. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Dombo, spokesman for the ruling National Resistance Movement, denied the allegations, asserting the party promotes peaceful elections.
The US-based Holocaust Memorial Museum has issued a report warning of possible mass atrocities around the election, citing political uncertainty, corruption, poor public services, and land disputes as key drivers of unrest. Ashleigh Landau, the report’s author, noted that the government’s harsh crackdowns on protests could escalate violence, particularly if Bobi Wine’s support grows.
AFP
