President Yoweri Museveni has once again strongly condemned the practice of security personnel beating wrongdoers, describing it as “barbaric” and directing all agencies, particularly the Uganda Police Force, to abandon the habit immediately.
“I reject the practice of caning wrongdoers. Some police forces in the world do it using batons but I reject it and it must stop,” the President declared.
The remarks came during his annual end-of-year address delivered on Wednesday at Nakasero State Lodge in Kampala. The issue of excessive force by security agencies, including caning and beating suspects or demonstrators, has remained contentious in Uganda for years.
Despite repeated directives from President Museveni to end the practice, incidents continue to surface, often involving opposition supporters. In August 2021, for instance, the President cautioned security forces against such actions, stating: “Although beating thieves is traditionally allowed and encouraged, the UPDF is not a traditional army here. The army is a revolutionary army. It would help if you used revolutionary beliefs, not ancient traditional beliefs. Our human rights record is incomparable to any other in the world. The NRM doesn’t believe in revenge.”
Yet, subsequent incidents have contradicted these instructions.
During the recent presidential campaigns, supporters of opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, were reportedly beaten mercilessly by security personnel following a dispute over campaign routes that escalated into a standoff.
Reflecting on his own experiences, President Museveni recounted how teachers and parents used corporal punishment during his school days, adding that he now views such methods as wrong.
As an alternative, he advised police to use non-lethal crowd control measures such as teargas to disperse rioters, emphasizing that these must be deployed professionally and methodically.
“Officers should first warn bystanders and give them sufficient time to move away before using teargas or water cannons,” he stressed.
The President’s latest directive is seen by observers as a renewed push to improve Uganda’s human rights record and professionalize security operations amid ongoing criticism of excessive force.
Rights groups have frequently highlighted cases of brutality, particularly during political events. As Uganda enters 2026, attention will be on whether security agencies fully implement the President’s orders to end physical beatings and adopt more disciplined approaches to law enforcement.
