The National Coordinator of the Democratic Alliance (DA), Mathias Mpuuga, has said President Museveni's directives to ban police bonds and limit court bails is nothing new but rather part of a long-standing strategy to erode justice in Uganda.
Addressing the media on January 3, 2025, Mr Mpuuga accused Museveni of consistently undermining judicial independence to tighten his grip on power.
“Museveni isn’t saying anything new; he has been practicing this already. People have been jailed without charges or trials, some even facing military courts under vague pretenses,” he said.
Mr Mpuuga described the directive, issued during Museveni’s December 31, 2023, address, as an escalation of tactics aimed at stifling political opposition and denying citizens their fundamental rights.
He warned that the move signals heightened repression as Uganda approaches the 2026 general elections. According to him, Museveni’s latest statements serve as a reminder of his intent to exert greater control over the judiciary and other state agencies to suppress dissent.
“This is a clear message to political actors that his stronghold will only tighten,” Mpuuga said, highlighting concerns about the shrinking democratic space.
The DA leader also framed Museveni’s actions as part of a broader campaign of intimidation designed to weaken political opponents.
He called for comprehensive legal and electoral reforms to safeguard Uganda’s democracy and ensure fair competition in the 2026 elections.
“We must resist such impunity and the abuse of judicial processes,” he declared, urging all stakeholders to push back against executive overreach.
In a direct appeal to judicial officers, Mpuuga emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and resisting political interference.
“The judiciary is not an arm of the executive,” he stressed, urging the courts to maintain their independence and protect citizens’ rights.
