Human rights lawyer Sarah Bireete has been charged with unlawfully obtaining and disclosing personal data belonging to the Electoral Commission (EC), contrary to provisions of Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act.
According to the charge sheet, Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), is accused of accessing and sharing national voters’ information without authorisation between January and December 2025 in Kampala, Mukono, and Wakiso districts.
Prosecutors allege that the data involved forms part of the national voters’ register, which is under the control of the Electoral Commission. The charges have heightened concerns among civil society actors, who warn that the case could signal the criminalisation of election oversight at a time when Uganda is preparing for general elections scheduled for January 2026.
Bireete is a prominent figure in election accountability efforts, serving as chairperson of both the East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (E-HORN) and the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM).
She was arrested at her home on December 30, 2025, and detained at the Kampala Metropolitan Police Headquarters. Her continued detention for more than 48 hours without being formally charged drew sharp criticism from lawyers and human rights organisations, who argued that it violated constitutional safeguards requiring suspects to be produced before a court within two days.
Under the Data Protection and Privacy Act, unlawful access to or disclosure of personal data attracts a penalty of up to 240 currency points, equivalent to about 4.8 million Shillings, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both. The prosecution unfolds against a backdrop of heightened political tension.
President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, is facing growing scrutiny from opposition parties and civil society over governance, electoral transparency, and the state of civil liberties. In recent weeks, Bireete had publicly criticised the Electoral Commission on X (formerly Twitter), accusing it of selective enforcement of campaign regulations and failing to protect opposition actors from state repression.
Unconfirmed reports have also linked the charges to Bireete’s alleged sharing of information on how to circumvent possible internet shutdowns during elections, a tactic previously employed during polling periods.
Authorities have not formally confirmed any such link. Both local and international watchdogs have condemned her arrest. In a statement, GNDEM expressed “serious concern regarding the arrest of Dr Sarah Bireete ahead of Uganda’s 2026 elections,” warning that the case risks undermining independent and non-partisan election observation.
Human rights defenders caution that the prosecution could have a chilling effect on civic engagement and election monitoring, potentially eroding public confidence in the electoral process.
As Bireete awaits further court proceedings, her legal team insists she committed no offence, arguing that the charges amount to an attack on free expression and democratic oversight.
With election day fast approaching, observers warn that the case could foreshadow further arrests, raising renewed questions about the integrity of Uganda’s democratic space.
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