Former Supreme Court Justice Pens Open Letter to President Museveni, Alleges State-Sponsored Terror and Demands End to “Repression”
KAMPALA – In a powerful and unprecedented open letter, former Supreme Court Justice Dr. Esther Kitimbo Kisaakye has directly confronted President Yoweri Museveni over a wave of alleged post-election abuses, questioning the legitimacy of his recent victory and calling for an immediate restoration of the rule of law.
The letter, dated January 25, 2026, and addressed to President Museveni, catalogues a series of grave accusations against state security forces following the January 15 presidential poll. Justice Kisaakye, writing from what she describes as involuntary exile, states that she and many others fled “for fear of our lives.”
Catalogue of Alleged Abuses
The detailed missive highlights multiple incidents:
· The continued siege and night-time armed attack on the home of opposition candidate Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), with alleged theft and destruction by individuals in mixed uniforms and civilian attire.
· The abduction and unknown whereabouts of National Unity Platform (NUP) Vice Presidents Dr. Lina Zedriga and Jolly Tukamushaba.
· The terrorism charges against MP Muwanga Kivumbi, which the letter contradicts with reports that his home was attacked.
· The “unlawful detention” of opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, reportedly in poor health and denied medical access.
· The imprisonment of civil society activists and a Catholic priest, Father Ssekabira, for “associating” with Kyagulanyi.
· A widespread pattern of abductions, unlawful detentions, and a crackdown on civil society organizations.
A Direct Challenge to Presidential Authority
Justice Kisaakye poses pointed questions to the President, who is also Commander-in-Chief, noting that his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, serves as Chief of Defence Forces. “Can all of the above be happening without your knowledge or consent?” she asks.
She directly links the alleged repression to the election’s credibility, noting the vote was “secured in darkness in the midst of a nationwide Internet shutdown.” Her central argument is stark: “If you won legitimately, repression is unnecessary. If repression exists, legitimacy is in question.”
The former justice appeals to the 1995 Constitution, enacted under Museveni’s leadership, which provides for multiparty democracy and legal election petitions. She argues that hunting opponents and besieging their homes renders these constitutional guarantees meaningless.
An Appeal for Constitutional Order
Invoking their shared Ugandan heritage, Kisaakye writes, “Uganda is our only country. We did not choose to be born in Uganda, but we must live in our motherland.”
She concludes with a ten-point plea for President Museveni to use his authority to:
- Restore the rule of law.
- Stop security force abuses.
- Allow all to exercise constitutional rights.
- Return the country to independent constitutional governance.
- Cease labelling opponents as “terrorists.”
- Stop violence and killings, ensuring suspects face lawful courts.
- End abductions of opposition leaders.
- Stop terrorizing supporters of other parties.
- Lift sieges on political rivals’ homes.
- Halt the practice of framing political opposition as terrorism.
The letter, signed “FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY,” represents a significant moral and legal challenge from a former high-ranking officer of the court. It underscores the deepening political crisis and the fragmentation of the national consensus that once surrounded the constitutional order. As of now, there has been no official response from State House or the government of Uganda.
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