Sarah Bireete, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), appeared before Buganda Road Court on Monday, January 2, 2026, charged with unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal voter data without the consent of the Electoral Commission (EC).
The charge, filed under Police Form 53 (Ref: CPS K’LA CRB 003/2026), alleges that between January and December 2025, Bireete and others still at large accessed or shared National Voter Information in Kampala, Mukono, and Wakiso districts without authorisation, contrary to Section 35 (1) and (2) of the Data Protection and Privacy Act, Cap 97.
Bireete, 49, resident of Kiwango-Namwezi Village, Bukerere Parish, Goma Sub-county in Mukono District, was arrested at her home on December 30, 2025, by Kampala Metropolitan Police following heightened scrutiny of her election monitoring activities ahead of the January 15 general elections.
Bireete’s legal team has not yet publicly responded to the charges, and her next court appearance is expected to address bail and procedural matters.
Bireete is a lawyer and election observer who chairs the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network and the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors.
Her arrest and formal charging have sparked debate on civil society’s role in accessing and using sensitive electoral information.
