The Board of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, whose Executive Director, Dr Sarah Bireete, was arrested and detained at Nateete Police Station by Uganda Police on 30th December, 2025, has spoken out on Bireete’s situation, terming it a deprivation of liberty.
While addressing the media in Kampala on Friday, 2nd January, the Members of the CCG board said in a statement that by the time of the press conference, police had not disclosed the crime that their Director committed.
“The only official statement issued by Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Rachel Kawaala, did not disclose any alleged crimes for which Sarah was arrested.
Unfortunately, more than 48 hours have passed since Sarah was deprived of her liberty, the
regime police continue to hold her in illegal custody.” The statement read in part, noting that the manner in which Dr Bireete was arrested and ‘her current incarceration is blatantly illegal and uncalled for.”
Quoting Article 23 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda which states that “the person arrested, restricted or detained shall be informed immediately, in a language that the person understands, of the reasons for the arrest, restriction or detention and of his or her right to a lawyer of his or her choice,” the board members held that the “illegality of Uganda Police actions is manifest in several ways.”
According to them, Dr Sarah Bireete is a known public figure and a recognised pro-democracy and human rights activist, whose place of abode is known and has never failed to respond to police summons, but police ignored the standard procedures of investigation that require summoning a person of interest to appear before it as prescribed under our laws.
The group alleges that the phones of Sarah’s two teenage boys were among the property that was confiscated during the ‘unauthorised search’ at Bireete’s residence, adding that efforts to secure a bond for her release have been met with a lukewarm attitude and outright rejection, and access to her by her lawyers, family and colleagues has been severely restricted.
CCG operations affected
“While as a Board, we are doing everything possible to support our staff team and
ensure continuity of work at CCG, we cannot overstate the impacts of the ongoing
regime harassment of Sarah on the operations of the organisation.” The board said on Friday.
Bireete charged, remanded to Luzira.
Hours after the CCG board addressed the media on Friday, Dr Sarah Bireete was charged with unlawfully obtaining and disclosing national information controlled or processed by the Electoral Commission without its consent.
The human rights activist appeared before the Buganda road Chief Magistrates Court presided over by Grade One Magistrate, Winnie Jatiko Nankya, who read the charged saying that Sarah Bireete and others are still at large, between January 2025 and December 2025, at various places within Uganda, including Kampala, Mukono, and Wakiso Districts unlawfully obtained or disclosed data, to wit, National Voter’s Information, controlled or processed by the Electoral Commission, without the prior consent [of the commission].
Having understood the charges, Bireete denied them as untrue, and she was remanded to Luzira Prison until 21st January 2, 2026 as investigations continue and the bail application process also takes shape.