Convened to demand the release of Dr Kizza Besigye and all Ugandans unlawfully detained for holding a political conscience, Monday's protests in Nairobi were extraordinary.
Rather than being faced with the menu of teargas, assault, and arrest, the National Police Service facilitated protesters to peacefully petition the National Assembly and the High Commission of Uganda.
Are we seeing a change in protest policing? Since the 2021 Uganda General Election, the right to free expression, association and assembly continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate.
Despite credible reports documenting extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of political opponents, restrictions on civil society organisations and the media, government reluctance to prosecute security service officers has led to widespread impunity. With Ugandan elections coming up in January 2026, tensions are sharpening.
