To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Uganda.
Answered on
3 March 2021
The UK Government has significant concerns about the treatment of opposition candidates and their supporters in the run-up to and since the Ugandan elections. This does not provide for an open political landscape, within which democracy can flourish. I set out our concerns in a statement on 17 January about the political climate surrounding the elections and have urged the Government of Uganda to meet its international human rights commitments. Following the unacceptable constraints placed on the opposition candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, the British High Commission in Kampala pressed the Ugandan authorities to remove restrictions on his political freedoms prior to the lifting of his de facto house arrest on 25 January. The recent violence towards journalists on 17 February was unacceptable and we welcomed the commitment of the Chief of Defence Forces to investigate the matter and take appropriate action. On Monday 22 February, Kyagulanyi and his party, National Unity Platform (NUP), announced the withdrawal of their petition challenging the Presidential election results at the Supreme Court. Our High Commissioner is engaging with political leaders across all parties to discuss these issues and push for democratic engagement and reform.