Security agencies arrested prominent lawyer, human rights defender and election observer Dr. Sarah Bireete on the afternoon of December 30, 2025, after surrounding her residence in Kampala, in an incident that has drawn sharp attention amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Ms Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), alerted the public through her verified X account (@SarahBireete), posting: “My house is under siege by Police and Army.”
Close associates later confirmed that she was taken into custody and is currently detained at Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala.
Multiple credible sources, including journalists and media outlets such as NBS Television, corroborated the arrest.
The Uganda Police Force subsequently confirmed that Dr. Bireete is in police custody and will be arraigned before court in due course.
Police confirmed the arrest saying she was being detained at CPS and would be arraigned before court in due course.
Efforts to reach Ms Bireete directly were unsuccessful, with associates reporting that her known phone numbers became unreachable following the siege at her residence.
Ms Bireete is a well-known figure in Uganda’s civil society and governance space.
She is the founding partner and Executive Director of CCG, a Kampala-based constitutional and governance watchdog that works on electoral integrity, rule of law, civic education and accountability.
She also serves as Chairperson of the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (EHORN) and the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM).
Through these roles, she has been a vocal critic of the involvement of security forces in political processes and has consistently raised concerns over militarisation, the conduct of elections and the protection of civil liberties.
She is currently deeply involved in civil society monitoring activities related to the 2026 electoral process.
Her arrest comes amid an ongoing national debate over civil liberties, the role of security agencies in domestic political affairs, and preparations for the upcoming election cycle.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
