Museveni bans caning of civilians by police, army in New Year message

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the national armed forces to immediately cease the practice of caning civilians especially during arrests and crowd control 

In his end of year message, the president said he rejects the practice of caning lawbreakers, even though some police forces around the world use batons in crowd-control operations. 

“Some police forces around the world do it using batons. I, however, reject it. It must stop,” he warned.

“Teachers and parents used to cane us but it was the wrong method.”

Museveni advised that the police should rely instead on teargas which is legal and non-lethal.

But even then, he guided that its employment should be methodical and accompanied by clear warnings to allow people time to disperse. 

“The police should be much more methodical, if they are to use teargas or water cannons or other nonlethal techniques by for instance using loudspeakers to warn people and give them time to pull away.”

The announcement comes amid widespread reports of police and army excesses during the ongoing election campaigns ahead of the 2026 general election. 

There have been multiple documented cases of security personnel using force against civilians attending political rallies and demonstrations.

In recent weeks, residents in the Tooro sub-region reported that security personnel fired teargas and beat people who had gathered to welcome National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, as part of campaign activities. 

Critics say such actions have disrupted local commerce and heightened tensions in campaign venues. 

UN human rights officials have also raised alarm about what they describe as a growing crackdown on opposition supporters and the media ahead of the polls, warning that this trend threatens fundamental democratic freedoms. 

Allegations of abuse by police and the army are not new in Uganda’s political landscape. 

Human rights observers have previously documented incidents where security forces beat, arbitrarily detained and used force against protesters, opposition members and journalists during electoral periods.