Opposition Leaders in East Africa Face Crackdowns Ahead of Key Elections

Opposition leaders across East Africa are facing renewed crackdowns as their countries gear up for elections, raising concerns over democratic space and political freedoms in the region.

In Uganda, veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye has endured years of arrests and harassment, including a period in exile, after falling out with longtime President Yoweri Museveni.

A former army officer and physician, Besigye returned from South Africa in 2005 only to be detained shortly after arrival on charges ranging from treason to rape – accusations he has consistently denied.

He has been repeatedly jailed during successive election cycles, often during protests or political campaigns.

Uganda is expected to hold elections in 2026, with Museveni, who has ruled since 1986, widely expected to seek another term after abolishing presidential term limits.

Critics accuse him of eroding democracy and using state institutions to suppress rivals.

In neighbouring Tanzania, opposition leader Tundu Lissu has also faced repeated arrests and survived an assassination attempt in 2017.

After years in exile, Lissu returned to contest the 2020 elections but was detained again in April 2025, accused of treason after calling for electoral reforms and urging a boycott of upcoming polls. Tanzania is set to vote on October 28, 2025.

Meanwhile, in South Sudan, First Vice President Riek Machar, once a fierce critic of President Salva Kiir, has seen his own political fortunes swing between high office and detention.

Machar’s past opposition to Kiir sparked a civil war and led to his repeated arrests and exile before a fragile peace deal brought him back into government.

The detention and intimidation of opposition leaders ahead of elections in the region have drawn criticism from rights groups, who warn that shrinking political space could undermine the credibility of the up coming votes.

gandae@businessdayafrica.org