Senior members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee have criticized Uganda’s January 15, 2026 elections, describing them as deeply flawed and harmful to democracy.
In a joint statement, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D–New Hampshire), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Cory Booker (D–New Jersey), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, said the elections were neither free nor fair and followed a familiar pattern of repression.
The senators cited attacks on journalists, arrests of opposition figures, tear-gassing of peaceful citizens, reported abductions, and violence by security forces in the period before the vote. They also condemned the last-minute nationwide internet shutdown, saying it violated Ugandans’ constitutional right to freedom of expression.
Shaheen and Booker expressed particular concern over continued threats by Uganda’s CDF, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, against opposition leaders, including Bobi Wine. They demanded the immediate release of Dr. Kizza Besigye and human rights activist Dr. Sarah Bireete, and called for the restoration of operating permits for civil society organizations.
The senators urged Ugandan authorities to respect democracy, transparency, human rights, and human dignity. They also called on the U.S. administration and the State Department to use all available measures including a review of U.S. security assistance to hold those responsible accountable for undermining democratic principles and endangering citizens.
The statement underscores growing international concern over Uganda’s electoral process and human rights record.
