KAMPALA, Jun 19 (IPS) – In East Africa’s Tanzania and Uganda, political tensions are rising as they put together for the following elections. Tanzania goes to the polls in October 2025, whereas Uganda’s presidential and basic elections will happen early in 2026.
In each nations, the main political leaders, Tundu Lissu of the Chadema occasion in Tanzania and Dr. Kizza Besigye, a former chief of the as soon as largest opposition occasion, are underneath detention dealing with treason costs.
Political and civil actors within the two nations and their neighbor Kenya say a wave of repression is sweeping throughout the area and that democracy and civil liberties are dying throughout East Africa.
Civil actors have reported quite a few circumstances of torture, abductions, and basic human rights abuses which have shrunk civic areas.
On 10 April 2025, Lissu was charged with treason, together with three offenses of publication of false data underneath cybercrime legal guidelines. The costs are related to his nationwide marketing campaign pushing for electoral reform underneath the slogan “No Reforms, No Election.” He appeared in court docket this week (June 16) and was granted permission to characterize himself as a result of, he argued, he was denied entry to non-public consultations along with his attorneys.
Shortly after Lissu’s arrest, Chadema was disqualified from the October 2025 presidential and parliamentary elections, primarily based on the occasion’s refusal to signal an electoral code of conduct.
Lissu narrowly survived an assassination try in 2017 and was compelled into exile, solely to face renewed persecution upon his return to Tanzania.
Within the run-up to the November 2024 native elections, Tanzania’s authorities has impeded opposition conferences, arbitrarily arrested a whole lot of opposition supporters, imposed restrictions on social media entry and banned unbiased media.
4 authorities critics have been forcibly disappeared and one Chadema official was kidnapped and brutally killed.
Compelled Deportations, Allegations of Torture
On Might 19, when Lissu was returning to the court docket, authorities in Tanzania ordered the deportation of Kenya’s former Justice Minister, Martha Karua, and Dr. Willy Mutunga, the previous Chief Justice of Kenya, along with a few journalists from Kenya.
They’d traveled to Tanzania underneath the invitation of the East Africa Legislation Society. Additional, a Kenyan human rights activist, Boniface Mwangi, and a Ugandan activist, Agather Atuhaire, have been arrested and held incommunicado for 5 days regardless of protests. The 2 activists mentioned they have been badly tortured by Tanzanian police and safety operatives.
Atuhaire instructed IPS that she was blindfolded and sexually molested by her captors, who had pushed her and Mwangi out of the Central Police Station in Tanzania.
“They took off all my garments and threw me down and handcuffed my toes and arms and turned my toes the wrong way up. They put a board between my toes and arms. One was hitting my toes and the opposite was attacking my non-public elements,” mentioned Athuaire, a mom of two.
Atuhaire, awardee of the US State Division’s Worldwide Girls of Braveness Awards (IWOC) and winner of the 2023 EU Human Rights Defenders’ Award in Uganda mentioned she has seen impunity in Uganda however what she went by and skilled in Tanzania was at the next stage.
“I confronted a policeman who appeared very indignant. He threatened us. I feel with Boniface, he mentioned they may circumcise him the second time. With me, he mentioned they may educate me, so I’ve story for Uganda after I come again,” Atuhaire recounted.
“He additionally requested me if I had a baby. And I mentioned, ‘What do my youngsters should do with this?’ I instructed him that I’ve two youngsters. Then you’ll get a 3rd one. After we received out, I instructed Boniface that I feel that could be a rape risk,” she mentioned.
Mwangi was discovered on the border with Tanzania close to the coast following widespread condemnation by Kenyans. He was carried to the automotive as a result of he might hardly stroll following the torture.
“My physique is damaged in so many ways in which you’ll by no means know however my spirit could be very robust. They did very horrible issues to us. And people issues have been recorded. And so they instructed us that if we get again house and share what occurred, they may share the movies with everybody,” mentioned Mwangi.
“The scenario in Tanzania could be very dangerous. I feel what occurred to us is what occurs to all Tanzanian activists,” he mentioned.
He puzzled why a rustic that belongs to the East African Group might torture residents from the opposite member states the way in which it did to them.
“I had simply gone there to attend a court docket case. I didn’t have any ulterior motive. I used to be handled worse than a prison and but I had not dedicated any offense,” he mentioned.
Overseas Activists Warned
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu, in a televised tackle, warned overseas activists to steer clear of her nation.
“Let’s not give them area. They already ruined their very own nations. They’ve already brought on chaos. The one nation that has not been ruined, the place folks have safety, peace, and stability, is ours. There have been makes an attempt and I strongly urge our safety and protection forces, in addition to you who handle our overseas coverage, to not enable undisciplined people from different nations right here,” mentioned Suluhu.
Tigere Chagutah, Regional Director, Amnesty Worldwide, East and Southern Africa, condemned the torture and inhumane therapy of the 2 activists.
“For 4 days, these two human rights defenders have been subjected to unimaginable cruelty. Their ordeal highlights the risks confronted by human rights defenders in Tanzania and there should be accountability and justice,” he famous.
Chagutah raised concern about Suluh’s name for a crackdown on human rights defenders, labeling them “overseas brokers.”
“Such statements present state authorities with an illegal and spurious pretext to impose restrictions flouting worldwide human rights obligations. Trial commentary is central to the transparency of court docket processes and ensures of honest trials and isn’t a risk to safety,” mentioned Tigere Chagutah.
Social Justice Campaigner, Khalid Hussein in response to Samia Suluhu, mentioned, “You can’t maintain overseas nationals, torture them, after which fake they’re meddling and they also deserve what they received.”
Earlier than the arrest of the 2 activists, Tanzania had deported Kenya’s former Justice Minister, Martha Karua, and Willy Mutunga, the previous Chief Justice of Kenya. The 2 have been in Tanzania for a trial commentary too.
Karua denied that she was in Tanzania to meddle in its inside affairs, as alleged by Suluhu.
“I used to be in Tanzania to look at a political trial. In Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, prison trials are public. One is entitled to a trial earlier than an neutral court docket, a trial that’s public,” mentioned Karua.
Karua suspected that the authorities in Tanzania have been disturbed by her addressing a press convention in April on the necessity to observe the rule of legislation, when Tundu Lissu was attributable to seem in court docket.
“In order a citizen of the Jumuhiya (East African Group), I went to look at a trial. Nothing fallacious with that. We really feel as residents of East Africa we now have an obligation to face in solidarity with each other to make sure that we push again on autocratic tendencies and the violation of rights,” mentioned Karua.
Professor Peter Kagwanja, a Kenyan mental, advisor, and coverage strategist, instructed IPS that what is occurring in Tanzania and its neighbors is regrettable.
“If they’re chasing Martha Karua and Dr. Willy Mutunga like that. Can you start to think about what is occurring to the Tanzanians themselves? Who’re Dr. Kabudi and others who need to defend Tundu Lisu?” requested Kagwanja, the President and Chief Govt on the Africa Coverage Institute (API).
Lack of Tolerance for Opposition
Kagwanja mentioned what is occurring in Tanzania is a sheer lack of tolerance for the opposition, but the nations declare to be working underneath a multiparty democracy.
“And that angle is what we’re seeing in Zimbabwe. It’s the identical angle you discover in Botswana. Which you can push the chief of the opposition to exile. You need to constrain the opposition and their management. Slightly than discuss to them and defeat them politically, you need to defeat them at a battle of violence,” he defined.
“It seems that in Uganda and Tanzania, your ambition to be President will not be legit. You’ll both be shot at or languish in jail. And no folks from outdoors ought to allow you to out,” Kagwanja added.
Whereas in Uganda for Besigye’s trial, Karua instructed IPS that it seems just like the leaders in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania are collaborating in oppressing residents.
“We really feel as residents of East Africa that we now have an obligation to face in solidarity to make sure that we push again towards autocratic tendencies and the violation of rights,” mentioned Karua.
Besigye was kidnapped in Nairobi on 16 November 2024. He was arraigned in a navy court docket in Uganda. He was charged with offenses regarding safety and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Whereas the Kenyan authorities has denied involvement, it has been accused by human rights activists of supporting and facilitating a rare rendition.
In August 2024, 36 leaders of Uganda’s FDC have been kidnapped from Kisumu metropolis in Kenya. They have been charged with terrorism in Ugandan courts and remanded.
Uganda’s Lawyer Normal, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, refuted claims of kidnap, saying that the suspects have been lawfully arrested.
“Even the style by which individuals are collected, if in any respect, from a neighboring nation or one other nation is prescribed by legislation and we’re saying that these folks have been charged,” he mentioned
Karua and Besigye’s attorneys insist that the kidnapping was the results of collusion between Kenyan and Ugandan authorities.
“I’m stressing rendition as a result of Kenya has an extradition Act which calls for that anyone being faraway from Kenya to a different nation for trial should be due course of. Due course of was not adopted. Nor have been they documented on the border when being transported into Uganda,” Karua instructed IPS.
Besigye and the co-accused, Obeid Lutale, have been arraigned earlier than the navy court docket. The Supreme Court docket in Uganda on the finish of January dominated that civilians shouldn’t be tried in a navy court docket. After the ruling of the Supreme Court docket, Besigye was taken to the civilian court docket with a brand new cost of treason. The cost earlier than the navy court docket was treachery.
The Ugandan Parliament rapidly debated and handed the Uganda Folks’s Defence Forces Modification Invoice 2025 on 20 Might. The Invoice awaiting presidential signature to develop into legislation, amongst others, broadens the jurisdiction of navy courts, authorizing them to attempt a variety of offenses towards civilians.
Making an attempt Civilians in Army Courts Contravene Human Rights Obligations
UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in Might 2025 expressed concern on the passing in Uganda’s Parliament of proposed laws to permit for civilians to be tried in navy courts.
“I’m involved that reasonably than encouraging efforts to implement the Supreme Court docket’s crystal-clear resolution of January this yr, Uganda’s legislators have voted to reinstate and broaden navy courts’ jurisdiction to attempt civilians, which might contravene worldwide human rights legislation obligations,” mentioned Türk.
As Uganda heads to the polls, diplomats from the European Union have raised concern over the torture of the opposition leaders and their supporters. The diplomats significantly expressed concern concerning the conduct of the Chief of Defence Forces, Normal Muhoozi Kainerugaba, President Yoweri Museveni’s son.
Early Might, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who’s Museveni’s eldest baby, mentioned he had detained Eddie Mutwe, the chief bodyguard for opposition chief Bobi Wine.
He wrote on X that he had captured Mutwe “like a grasshopper” and was “utilizing him as a punching bag.” The tortured Mutwe was introduced in court docket and slapped with theft costs.
Uganda’s Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Norbert Mao, mentioned, “Bringing illegally detained, brutalized, and tortured suspects earlier than the courts of legislation is an abuse of judicial processes.”
In the meantime, Kainerugaba has promised a showdown on Presidential aspirant, Wine and his supporters.
“I need to remind you to advise your youngsters to steer clear of NUP gangs. Intelligence studies point out that NUP will not be merely a political occasion however can be concerned in actions that increase considerations associated to terrorism. The leaders of NUP are recruiting younger folks for actions that might be dangerous to our stunning nation,” he warned.
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