Gerald Bareebe

As Uganda prepares for the 2026 general elections, the country increasingly resembles an electoral dictatorship. The presidential and parliamentary polls, scheduled for February 2026, will unfold against a backdrop of severe economic, security, political, and social challenges. Adding to the uncertainty are growing concerns over the health of 80-year-old President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country for four decades.

Election observers are the first line of defense for democratic rights and freedoms. They work in some of the most challenging places and are increasingly coming under attack — physical assault, harassment, and threats — while trying to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections. In a new JoD online exclusive, Gerardo de Icaza argues that, in the face of such extraordinary risks, election observers deserve the same protections as human-rights defenders.