As Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen and Senator Cory Booker call for accountability following Uganda’s deeply flawed elections, the Mayor of New York City—a dual U.S.–Ugandan citizen who benefits from wealth and privilege in Uganda—has chosen silence in the face of abhorrent human rights abuses and systemic injustice.
Museveni has ruled Uganda for nearly forty years. Throughout his tenure, every national election has relied on repression to secure his continued control. State security forces have been used to restrict political activity, suppress dissent, and intimidate voters. Powerful State systems have been deployed to weaken opposition campaigns. Media access has been constrained. Lethal force continues, as in the past, to be applied against civilians at campaign rallies.
Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen and Senator Cory Booker
January 23, 2026
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, released the following statement after the elections held in Uganda on January 15, 2026.
“Uganda’s January 15th election was another blow to the pursuit of democracy in the country. Unfortunately, these elections mirrored previous electoral contests in Uganda where the playing field was skewed, and the results decided well before the actual vote.
“We have seen attacks on journalists, the jailing of opposition figures, the tear gassing of citizens assembling peacefully, reported abductions of opposition members and candidates, and reports of violence by security forces in the weeks and months leading up to these elections. The last-minute internet blackout throughout the country further undermined Ugandan citizens’ rights to freedom of expression enshrined in its constitution. We are particularly concerned by Ugandan Minister of Defense Kainerugaba’s continued threats against opposition figures including Bobi Wine. It is imperative that opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye and human rights activist Dr. Sarah Bireete are released from jail immediately and the operating permits for civil society organizations are restored. Ugandan authorities must uphold their obligations to democracy, transparency, human rights and dignity for their fellow citizens.
“The Trump Administration and U.S. State Department must use all tools available, including a review of U.S. security assistance, to hold individuals in Uganda accountable for undermining democratic principles and endangering the lives of citizens seeking to freely participate in the election.”
DW AFRICA REPORTS:
Ugandan opposition politician Bobi Wine says hundreds of soldiers raided his home in Magere overnight, destroying property and assaulting his family and staff. In a statement on X, he said armed forces—some in Special Forces Command (SFC) uniforms, others in UPDF attire and plain clothes, allegedly drunk and armed—broke doors and windows while searching for him. He says the soldiers held his wife at gunpoint, demanding to know his whereabouts. When she refused to unlock her phone, she was allegedly strangled, insulted, and sexually humiliated. Bobi Wine said she was later taken to hospital, where she remains admitted, suffering from both physical injuries and psychological trauma. He also said soldiers looted money, documents, and electronic equipment. Despite the raid, Bobi Wine says he remains defiant, declaring, “Uganda will be free.” Ugandan authorities have not publicly responded to the claims.#DWAfrica
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