On 26 September 2026, Ugandan human rights and anti-corruption activist Praise Aloikin Opoloje was reportedly taken from Namungoona Police Station by armed security personnel after she had been summoned to the station. According to lawyers, she was allegedly handed over to men identified as Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS) officers and taken away in a vehicle. Her reported detention follows a video in which she criticised Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces, and the Patriotic League of Uganda.
On 28 September 2026, Opoloje was brought before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court and remanded to Luzira Prison until 14 October 2026. She was charged with unlawfully using another person’s SIM card, contrary to Regulation 29 of the Regulation of Interception of Communications Regulations, 2024. The charge sheet alleges that she used an MTN number registered in another person’s name (her mother’s name). There were also earlier reports that she would face a charge of broadcasting without a licence under Section 28(1) and (2) of the Uganda Communications Act. Potential application of the Communications Act to Opoloje’s social media commentary needs to be monitored closely, as this could raise broader concerns around online freedom of expression.
While such arrests and charges against activists are not uncommon in Uganda, the removal of a prominent human rights defender from a police station by security personnel, followed by her detention and subsequent remand to prison, has a strong deterrent effect on activists and other civil society actors. If similar cases become recurrent, this could lead to greater self-censorship among activists and media actors, increasing the perceived risks of civic engagement, and narrowing the space available for public accountability.