World
Ugandan Online Critics Report Abductions, Intimidation Amid Legal Actions
Praise Aloikin Opoloje, detained since September 26, 2026, was charged with unlawful use of a SIM card registered in her mother’s name. She appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on September 28, denying the charge under Regulation 29 of Uganda’s 2024 Regulation of Interception of Communications Regulations. Opoloje says her arrest followed a video in which she declared she was not afraid of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni. She alleges she was lured to a Kampala police station by a false accusation of carpet theft, then forced into a Toyota HiAce van. According to her, six men beat her, threatened to rape her, and drove toward Entebbe before turning back to Kampala Central Police Station after a phone call. Opoloje claims she feared being taken to a basement where people are tortured and raped. She said she would not stop speaking out and that her detention has affected her family, including her three‑year‑old daughter. She was granted bail on October 14, with court permission required before traveling internationally.
Emmanuel Baliza, 59, reports that his 17‑year‑old son William was taken from their home after the teenager said he intended to protest police brutality and Uganda’s education system. Emmanuel says armed men in military uniforms and face coverings waited in a Toyota HiAce van, searched his phone, and claimed they were arresting William for planning to protest after the elections. They said they would take him to the Special Investigations Unit, but no reference number was given. Emmanuel later heard that William might be held at a military detention facility in Kasenyi near Entebbe, but officials denied holding him. William’s daughter told Emmanuel that William had posted a TikTok message saying, “Uganda is bleeding.”
Journalist and human rights activist Andrew Tabandama Natumanya says his reporting on a security operation involving properties linked to former Parliament Speaker Anita Among attracted scrutiny from security personnel. In May, officers searched Among’s properties amid investigations into allegations of corruption and money laundering, seizing luxury vehicles including a 2025 Rolls‑Royce Cullinan. Andrew posted real‑time updates on X (formerly Twitter). He alleges that on June 17, 2026, a stranger lured him to a washing bay, where armed personnel forced him into a van, assaulted him, and photographed him stripped of clothing. He says officers warned him against continuing to publish updates online. Andrew was detained for five days before being released on bail. He reports that the experience has affected his family, including threats and difficulties affecting their businesses and employment prospects.
Lawyer Steven Atukwatse of the Agora Research Center says he has represented 12 social media users charged under Uganda’s Computer Misuse Act since November 2025, most of whom are accused of criticizing Museveni or his son. He describes families struggling to locate missing relatives, who often reappear at police stations months later. Atukwatse notes that prosecutors have evidence of a post on social media, while defence lawyers lack substantial evidence of abduction or torture, making allegations of mistreatment difficult to pursue. He also says that sometimes people are released but charges remain, leaving them not fully free.
Army spokesperson Colonel Chris Magezi says allegations of unlawful conduct should be supported by evidence. He states the military operates within the law, works with police and intelligence agencies, and brings suspects accused of violent crimes before courts. Magezi rejects claims of unlawful disappearances, saying that if people disappear, they appear in court. He also points to defamation laws, noting that unsubstantiated statements can lead to arrest.
Opoloje was granted bail on October 14, but the criminal charge remains. Andrew was also released on bail, though he says threats and intimidation continue. Emmanuel still does not know where his son is being held.