NAIROBI, Kenya — A coalition of African women’s rights advocates, led by Kenyan politician Martha Karua, has released a powerful open letter condemning what they describe as systematic violence, sexual abuse and public humiliation of women in Uganda following the country’s controversial January 2026 general election.
In a statement addressed to President Yoweri Museveni and Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Karua and the Pan-African Progressive Leaders Solidarity Network said the atrocities being reported “are not merely a Ugandan crisis” but a “stain on the conscience of the African continent” and an assault on fundamental human dignity.
Allegations of Abuse Following 2026 Elections
The coalition, which includes women leaders, academics, lawyers and human rights defenders from across the region, cited multiple reports of security forces targeting women associated with opposition movements, including allegations of sexual assault, forced nudity and intimidation.
Among the cases highlighted were claims that women were interrogated while undressed, dragged from private spaces such as bedrooms and showers, and denied the right to clothe themselves before arrest, actions the advocates say amount to deliberate degradation and psychological terror.
The letter alleged that security operations have increasingly intruded on women’s private spaces, creating an atmosphere of fear and vulnerability.
“When the privacy of a woman’s bedroom is violated and her body is treated as a battlefield, the soul of a nation, and by extension our region, is in mortal peril,” Karua said.
“The atrocities currently being visited upon the women of Uganda are not merely a Ugandan crisis. They are a stain on the conscience of the African continent and a direct assault on the universal principles of human dignity that bind all decent human beings across the globe.”
Calls for Continental and International Action
The coalition urged regional and global institutions, including the African Union, African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations, to investigate the allegations and hold Uganda accountable under international human rights obligations.
“We express solidarity with Ugandan victims and pledge to continue speaking out until accountability is achieved,” the letter read.
It emphasised that neglecting these allegations “would amount to complicity.”
The condemnation comes amid continuing unrest in Uganda following the January 15 general election, which official results showed as a victory for President Museveni, a leader who has been in power for nearly four decades.
The disputed election triggered days of protest and clashes between opposition supporters and security forces, with at least several demonstrators reportedly killed and hundreds arrested in street confrontations.
Human rights observers and opposition figures have raised alarm about broader patterns of repression, including arbitrary detentions, restrictions on dissent, and harassment of political activists in the run-up to and aftermath of the polls.
I stand with fellow regional leaders to decry violations that include brutal assaults, the humiliation of women political actors, and the use of sexual violence as a tool of political intimidation. What is happening in Uganda is not an internal matter; it is a regional and
Gender-Based Violence and Broader GBV Concerns
Beyond election-related tensions, gender-based violence (GBV) remains a serious issue in Uganda.
National crime reports have documented thousands of cases of rape and defilement, with only a fraction leading to convictions, according to civil society advocates.
While government-supported campaigns such as the annual “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” have helped raise awareness and provide support services to survivors, human rights groups say impunity and weak enforcement continue to undermine progress.
