As the 2026 general elections in Uganda approach, the African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (ACTV) has called upon all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful election period.
The ACTV urged all political actors and the public to embrace political dialogue and tolerance, and to exercise restraint rather than engage in acts of violence.
The call, made by ACTV’s executive director, Herbert Nsubuga, comes in the wake of the recent Kawempe North by-elections, during which several individuals were arrested and tortured.
ACTV, a non-governmental organization, proposed that the Electoral Commission take the lead in preventing election-related violence during the 2026 elections. This initiative would promote transparency, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law throughout the electoral process.
ACTV also recommended that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions conduct capacity-building programmes for state prosecutors on handling torture-related cases. These programs, Nsubuga said, should integrate a trauma-informed approach to investigating and prosecuting torture-related complaints and cases.
Robert Mugisha, a member of the coalition, stressed the importance of upholding laws concerning torture, stating, “whoever violates the law by torturing others may not face consequences now, but justice will catch up with them in the future.”
During the Kawempe North by-elections in March, the coalition documented five cases of survivors of violence, including journalists, with additional cases reported during the ongoing NRM party primaries.
The effects of torture and violence have profoundly impacted survivors’ lives. Reports from 2021 and 2022 indicate that over 70% of torture cases result in mental illness.
