KAMPALA, Uganda — Security forces intercepted a march toward Parliament on July 13, arresting sports administrator Hilda Nshuti and several other activists during a broad crackdown on anti-corruption demonstrations.
The protesters gathered to demand the resignation of the speaker and various ministers following allegations that public funds were diverted for personal use while many citizens remain in poverty. The event occurred amid a spike in state-led repression, with the National Unity Platform (NUP) reporting a rise in abductions and the detention of its members in “safe houses” across the country.
Hilda, 32, a prominent member of the NUP and a master’s degree holder in sports management, was among those violently taken into custody near the legislative gates. Witnesses reported that the apprehension was brutal, and supporters stated that Hilda suffered a fractured left hand during the struggle.
Several other demonstrators were bundled into unmarked vehicles alongside Hilda. The group was transported to the Ntinda-Kigowa police post, where they remain held. Within the facility, Hilda reports she was subjected to physical beatings, interrogation and sexual assault by officers.
The arrests are part of a wider pattern of escalating violence against opposition figures. Human rights organizations and NUP leadership have recently highlighted numerous cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. In recent months, bodies of missing activists have been discovered with signs of torture, while others remain unaccounted for after being picked up by security personnel in “drones”—the unmarked vans frequently used in abductions.
Authorities have accused the July 13 detainees of inciting violence, though legal representatives for the activists say the charges are a maneuver to stifle dissent. The police maintained that the arrests were necessary to prevent illegal gatherings and maintain public order.
As of late Wednesday, Hilda and several other protesters remain in detention without formal charges. Legal teams and human rights advocates continue to demand access to the detainees, citing grave concerns over their physical safety and the systemic use of torture in state holding cells.
