Uganda has rapidly expanded its surveillance capabilities in recent years, raising concerns among human rights advocates about escalating political repression and authoritarian rule. The government has acquired advanced technology from international companies to monitor citizens, particularly targeting opposition figures and critics of President Yoweri Museveni’s regime.
Since 2019, Uganda has implemented a $126 million closed-circuit television network from the Chinese firm Huawei to oversee public spaces. Alongside this, the government purchased license plate recognition systems from the Russian company Joint Stock Company Global Security. Human Rights Watch has criticized these systems for threatening privacy, and Uganda’s attorney general recently declared the license plate monitoring contract void, leaving its future uncertain. Huawei has denied involvement in spying on political dissidents and declined to comment on further details.
In addition, Israeli and Canadian firms Cellebrite and Magnet Forensics were used by Ugandan authorities to extract data from phones and cloud services of targeted individuals. Cellebrite has since ceased selling its technology to Uganda, citing ethical considerations, while Magnet Forensics did not respond to inquiries.
Opposition leaders have been prominent targets in this surveillance-led crackdown. Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine—a popular musician turned politician widely regarded as the main opposition figure—has faced arrests, torture, and intense monitoring. His campaigns in the 2021 and 2026 presidential elections were marred by allegations of vote-rigging, violence, and intimidation. Security forces reportedly employed facial recognition and license plate reading technology to track his supporters. After threats from President Museveni’s son on social media, Bobi Wine fled Uganda and now resides temporarily in the United States.
Another significant opposition member, Kizza Besigye—a former ally of Museveni turned rival—was forcibly returned to Uganda from Kenya in 2024, charged with treason and illegal gun possession. The Kenyan government later acknowledged cooperation with Ugandan officials in what Human Rights organizations describe as an extrajudicial operation. Besigye’s trial has faced serious irregularities, including the arrest of his legal defense team and testimony indicating planted evidence.
The surge in repression coincides with increasing efforts by Museveni’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to consolidate power. The general has publicly threatened opponents and overseen a sustained crackdown that continues beyond electoral periods. Some Ugandans speculate that the escalating repression aims to silence dissent and secure Muhoozi’s future presidency.
International dynamics have influenced Uganda’s trajectory. The United States formerly criticized Uganda’s elections and limited aid in response to democratic erosion. However, under the Trump administration, Washington’s posture softened considerably, halting verbal condemnations and reducing pressure on Uganda’s government. Meanwhile, China has deepened its political and economic engagement in Uganda, providing loans, infrastructure projects, and military support without attaching human rights conditions. Uganda currently owes China approximately $2.6 billion.
Chinese influence extends beyond financing, with plans to establish ideological training schools that promote governance models resembling the Chinese Communist Party’s approach, potentially undermining multiparty democracy. Chinese-built infrastructure abounds in Uganda, and the government has incorporated Chinese language and cultural education in schools. Observers note that China’s model of stable autocracy with tight social control appeals to some ruling elites.
Some Ugandan analysts, including political scientist Nansozi Muwanga, perceive China as a new form of influence that bypasses Western demands for political reforms or human rights, viewing Uganda’s alignment with China as a strategic pivot away from conditional Western aid. While China’s engagement offers economic benefits, there is apprehension about increased dependence and loss of sovereignty, with concerns that these relationships could ultimately resemble a form of neo-colonial control.
The evolving surveillance infrastructure, paired with growing political violence and weakened international accountability, has intensified fears that Uganda is moving toward a more entrenched authoritarian future. As opposition figures face harassment, detention, and exile, many Ugandans view the current moment as one of unprecedented repression, raising questions about the country’s democratic prospects and the role of external actors in supporting or challenging its trajectory.