East African Lawyers Demand Uganda Restore Media Freedom and Uphold Rule of Law

A coalition of East Africa’s leading legal and human rights organizations has called on the Ugandan government to urgently restore media freedom, uphold constitutional order and end what it describes as growing violations of civil liberties and the rule of law.

In a joint statement issued in Arusha, Tanzania, on Wednesday, the East Africa Law Society (EALS), national bar associations across the region, the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), ICJ Kenya, the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the East Africa Civil Society Organisations Forum expressed concern over recent developments in Uganda, saying they pose a serious threat to constitutional governance.

The organizations cited the reported detention of former Ethics and Integrity Minister Dr. Miria Matembe, alleged abductions of civil society activists including Dr. Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime, and the continued prosecution of senior lawyer and former Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago. They said the reported incidents raise concerns over personal liberty, due process and judicial independence, particularly where authorities have not publicly disclosed the legal basis for detentions.

The statement also condemned the reported disruption of operations at Nation Media Group Uganda outlets, including NTV Uganda, Spark TV and the Daily Monitor. The legal bodies questioned the legality of the reported closure of the media houses, arguing that Uganda’s Communications Act grants regulatory authority over broadcasters exclusively to the Uganda Communications Commission and not security agencies or the military.

According to the coalition, the reported involvement of senior military officials in matters concerning media regulation and civilian governance risks eroding the constitutional principle that the armed forces must remain subordinate to civilian authority. They warned that any blurring of the line between military and civilian institutions could undermine democratic governance and public confidence in state institutions.

The regional legal bodies further argued that interference with the legal profession and independent media weakens constitutional protections such as freedom of expression, access to justice and the enforcement of fundamental rights. They noted that Uganda has obligations under regional and international legal frameworks, including the East African Community Treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to safeguard these freedoms.

The organizations urged the Ugandan government to immediately disclose the whereabouts and legal status of all detained persons, restore suspended media operations, guarantee access to legal representation and medical care for detainees, reaffirm the Uganda Communications Commission’s regulatory mandate and investigate all alleged violations independently. They concluded that adherence to constitutional and statutory limits on state power remains essential to preserving democracy, accountability and the rule of law in Uganda.