Response To The President’s Address By The Citizens Coalition For The Defence Of The Rule Of Law.
The Citizens Coalition for the Defence of the Rule of Law (CCDRL) issued a response to President Yoweri Museveni’s national address of 4 July 2026, arguing that the speech reinforces rather than dispels concerns about the rule of law in Uganda. The Coalition contends that the country’s greatest challenge is not a lack of respect for the law by citizens, but the normalization of state impunity and executive actions that undermine constitutional governance.
The statement criticizes what it describes as official justification of abductions, torture, illegal detentions, and extrajudicial actions. According to the Coalition, constitutional guarantees protecting personal liberty, due process, and freedom from torture cannot be overridden by concerns about judicial efficiency or public security. The Coalition further argues that public confidence in the justice system is weakened when state institutions operate outside the law they are expected to uphold.
The CCDRL also raises concerns over the deportation of Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua, describing the action as inconsistent with the principles of the East African Community Treaty and the Common Market Protocol governing the free movement of persons within the region.
To address these concerns, the Coalition calls for a series of reforms, including:
Ensuring all arrests are conducted lawfully and detainees are produced before court within constitutional timelines.
Ending the use of unofficial detention facilities and prohibiting torture or cruel treatment.
Guaranteeing detainees access to lawyers, medical care, and family members.
Protecting judicial independence and preserving bail as a judicial function.
Providing a public explanation for Martha Karua’s deportation.
Encouraging the Uganda Human Rights Commission to take a more proactive role in investigating and preventing human rights abuses.
The Coalition concludes by reaffirming its commitment to promoting the rule of law, constitutional governance, accountability, and the protection of human rights in Uganda.
READ MORE: RESPONSE TO THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS BY THE CITIZENS COALITION FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE RULE OF LAW
