By Nanteza Ruth Walusimbi
KAMPALA
Security agencies have arrested prominent lawyer, human rights defender and election observer Dr. Sarah Bireete after surrounding her residence in Kampala.
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,” on 30th December, 2025.
Close associates later confirmed that she was taken into custody and is currently detained at Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala.
The Uganda Police Force subsequently confirmed that Dr. Bireete is in police custody and will be arraigned before court in due course.
Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala has confirmed the arrest saying she was being detained at CPS and would be arraigned before court in due course.
Efforts to reach Bireete directly were futile, with associates reporting that her known phone numbers became unreachable following the siege at her residence.
Ms Bireete 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 concern over militarization, the conduct of elections and the protection of civil liberties.
Reasons for her arrest remain unknown but details will be availed as this publication will get them.
