Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime ‘Abducted’

KAMPALA, Uganda — Two of Uganda’s most prominent human rights defenders, Dr. Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime, were reportedly abducted by military personnel on Sunday, according to opposition leaders and civil society activists, triggering renewed concern over the safety of government critics.

As of Sunday afternoon, neither the Ugandan military nor the police had publicly confirmed the women’s whereabouts, leaving relatives, colleagues and rights organizations demanding answers amid growing fears.

Dr. Sarah Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), is widely recognized as one of Uganda’s leading voices on constitutionalism, electoral integrity and the rule of law. Eunice Musiime heads Akina Mama wa Afrika, a regional organization that champions women’s rights, feminist leadership and social justice across Africa.

Reports circulating on social media indicated that armed men believed to be military personnel intercepted the two women before driving them to an undisclosed location.

Their whereabouts remained unknown by the time of publication.

National Unity Platform president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, condemned the reported operation in a statement posted on X.

“Two leading civil society leaders and distinguished lawyers, Dr. Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime, have been abducted by the military and driven off to an unknown destination.”

He described the incident as the latest in what he called an escalating campaign against government critics and demanded the immediate release of the two activists.

No official response had been issued by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces or the Uganda Police Force despite mounting public concern.

The reported abductions come only months after Bireete herself became the focus of international attention following her arrest during the tense period preceding Uganda’s January 15, 2026 general elections.

Security officers raided her Mukono home on December 30, 2025, before taking her into custody.

Prosecutors later charged her with unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal data under Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act, alleging that the offence related to national voters’ information.

The case drew swift condemnation from international human rights organizations.
Human Rights Watch described her detention as part of a broader pattern of repression targeting civil society actors ahead of the elections, while IFEX and other press and rights organizations argued that the prosecution reflected increasing pressure on independent voices demanding accountability and electoral transparency.

Bireete was later released on bail but continued speaking publicly about governance, constitutionalism and human rights despite the pending legal proceedings.

Sunday’s reported disappearance has therefore heightened fears among activists that critics of the government remain vulnerable months after the elections.

Musiime has likewise built a reputation as a respected advocate for women’s leadership and gender equality through her work with Akina Mama wa Afrika (which she recently left for Alliance for Women Advocating for Change), making the reported targeting of both women especially alarming to Uganda’s civil society community.

The developments unfold against a backdrop of longstanding allegations by opposition parties and human rights organizations that security agencies have increasingly relied on arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions and enforced disappearances to silence dissent.

Government officials have repeatedly rejected accusations of politically motivated repression, insisting that security agencies operate within the law and that individuals taken into custody face legitimate criminal investigations.

Nevertheless, local and international observers have continued to express concern over what they describe as shrinking civic and democratic space, particularly during election periods.

As uncertainty surrounded Bireete and Musiime’s fate on Sunday, colleagues and supporters intensified calls for authorities to immediately disclose their whereabouts and guarantee their safety.
With no official confirmation yet forthcoming, the circumstances surrounding the reported operation remain unclear.

Meanwhile, some reports suggested that Bireete and Musiime could have been picked up for allegedly helping Miria Matembe escape.

Military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba has spoken out on arresting Miria Matembe days after the former ethics minister’s home was raided. (See Details Here and There).

The ‘abduction’ happened after the shutdown of NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor and as Muhoozi threatened to hang Lukwago if the Kabaka does not beg him to release the former lord mayor. (See Details Here, There and Over There).