- US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Cory Booker condemned Uganda’s January 15, 2026 election as undemocratic, citing harassment of journalists and illegal arrests of opposition leaders
- They criticized President Museveni’s government for shutting down the internet and warned that such actions violate citizens’ rights to freedom of expression
- Urging President Trump to act, the senators urged Washington to hold Ugandan officials accountable, even suggesting an audit of US security assistance
Recent political events in the country Uganda have attracted the attention of lawmakers in the United States.
Source: Twitter
Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Cory Booker called on the Washington administration to intervene and hold accountable members of the Ugandan government who are accused of violating the civil rights of the opposition and citizens in the recent vote.
Why US Senators want Trump to take action on Uganda
Shaheen and Booker argued that Uganda’s election of January 15, 2026, was a distortion of democracy and did not meet the standards of a free and fair process.
“Uganda’s January 15 election was another blow to the democratic movement in the country. Unfortunately, these elections resembled previous electoral contests in Uganda, where the playing field was rigged, and the outcome was decided long before the actual vote,” part of their statement read.
The senators highlighted the harassment and attacks against journalists, the arrest of opposition leaders, and the use of tear gas against citizens protesting the election process.
They also condemned the government of President Yoweri Museveni for shutting down the Internet, describing it as a clear violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of expression.
The prolonged detention of Kizza Besigye and the threats made by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba against the opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi further worried the senators.
US senators want Trump to take what action for Uganda
They stressed that Ugandan officials are responsible for defending democratic governance, transparency, human rights, and the dignity of their people.
Both senators, members of the Democratic Party, asked Trump to take action against those responsible for violating civil rights during the campaign and election period.
“The Trump administration and the US State Department must use all available tools, including a review of US security assistance, to hold individuals accountable in Uganda for undermining democratic principles and endangering the lives of citizens who want to freely participate in elections,” the senators said.
Previously, the US Embassy in Kampala had issued a security advisory to its citizens, citing reports of security forces using tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the crowd, while the official results of the presidency remained unannounced.
The embassy urged American citizens to be very careful and avoid large public gatherings throughout Uganda.
Museveni was declared the winner of Uganda’s presidential election on January 17, winning a seventh term and extending his reign to more than 40 years.
How Yoweri Museveni kept his seat
The announcement emphasized the continuation of the veteran leader’s rule in a political environment characterized by strict security measures and internet blackouts.
According to the Electoral Commission, Museveni won the January 15 vote with 7,944,772 votes, representing 71.61% of valid votes.
His closest rival, National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, got 2,741,238 votes, or 24.72%.
Source: Twitter
The results showed again the fierce struggle facing opposition candidates against the president who has held power since 1986.
The Chairman of the Electoral Commission Judge Simon Byabakama announced the final results at the National Vote Counting Center, noting that they were announced in accordance with the Ugandan constitution and the Presidential Election Act.
He reported that votes were counted from 50,739 polling stations across the country, with 21,649,067 registered voters. Out of 11,366,201 votes cast, the turnout was 52.50%, while 275,353 votes, 2.42% of the total, were invalid.
Byabakama confirmed that Museveni had crossed the constitutional threshold by obtaining more than half of all valid votes, officially declaring him the president-elect.
He emphasized that the voting process had been completed and the results were legally calculated in accordance with the constitutional and electoral provisions.
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