By KPC Reporter
A coalition of East African legal and human rights organizations has expressed concern over what it describes as growing constitutional and statutory violations in Uganda.
They alleged unlawful detentions, interference with media operations, and the increasing involvement of military officials in civilian affairs.
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In a joint statement issued in Arusha, Tanzania, the organizations said the developments “implicate the foundational pillars of constitutional governance: personal liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and the independence of the legal profession.”
The statement highlighted the reported detention and prosecution of senior lawyer and former Ugandan minister Dr. Miria Matembe, as well as reported abductions involving human rights defenders Dr. Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime.
The groups also cited the continued prosecution of senior advocate and former Kampala mayor Erias Lukwago.
The coalition further raised concerns over the disruption of operations at Nation Media Group Uganda outlets, including NTV Uganda, Spark TV and the Daily Monitor.
According to the statement, the reported suspension of broadcasts and deployment of security personnel at media premises threatens constitutional guarantees on press freedom.
“Press freedom is a core indicator of constitutional health. Its restriction, where lawful, must remain exceptional, transparent, and strictly justified,” the statement said.
The organizations questioned what they termed the “blurring” of constitutional boundaries between civilian authority and military command, arguing that military institutions should not regulate the media or direct the arrest of legal practitioners.
“No public authority, including security institutions, regulatory bodies, or administrative actors, may exercise coercive, regulatory, or enforcement powers except under clear and express authority of the Constitution or written law,” the statement added.
The coalition called on the Ugandan government to immediately disclose the legal status and whereabouts of all detained persons, restore affected media operations, guarantee access to legal representation, and investigate alleged violations through independent and transparent processes.
“A constitutional order is sustained not by institutions alone, but by their faithful adherence to the limits of lawful authority,” the statement said.
The statement was signed by Ramadhan Abubakar, President of the East Africa Law Society (EALS); Charles Kanjama, President of the Law Society of Kenya; Isaac Ssemakadde, President of the Uganda Law Society; Moise Nkundabarashi of the Rwanda Bar Association; Boniface Mwabukusi of the Tanganyika Law Society; Jambia Said Jambia of the Zanzibar Law Society and Patrick Didier Nukuri of the Burundi Bar Association.
Others were Tesfaye Derese of the Ethiopian Federal Advocates Association; Arop Malueth of the South Sudan Bar Association; Tewodros Getachew Tulu of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU); Christine Alai, Chairperson of ICJ Kenya; Davis Malombe, CEO of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC); and Dr. Sarah Bireete, President of the East Africa Civil Society Organisations Forum (EACSOF).
