Uganda Crime Report 2025: Domestic violence, sex crimes in sharp decline; Police worries about narcotics in schools

Sex-related offences in Uganda recorded a sharp decline in 2025, according to the latest Annual Crime Report released by the Uganda Police Force on March 30, 2026. 

A total of 12,606 cases were reported, accounting for 6.4 per cent of overall crime. This marks a 12.6 per cent drop from 14,425 cases recorded in 2024.

This continues a fluctuating trend seen in previous crime reports, where sexual offences have remained among the most reported crimes despite periodic declines. 

Police data in earlier years often pointed to persistent high numbers driven by factors such as poverty, alcohol abuse, domestic conflicts and weak community reporting systems.

Stakeholders, including police and civil society groups, have previously linked sexual offences to early marriages, school dropouts and limited parental supervision. 

Regions such as eastern and northern Uganda have historically recorded higher cases, partly due to socio-economic challenges and cultural practices.

Despite the decline, experts warn that many cases still go unreported, especially in rural areas where stigma and fear of retaliation remain high.

Domestic violence cases also reduced significantly. Police recorded 12,361 cases in 2025, down from 14,073 in 2024, representing a 12.2 per cent decline. Authorities attribute this to increased community policing and awareness campaigns.

Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba said the report reflects improved coordination within the force.

“This milestone is attributed to several factors. We realised there is a clear chain of command and control which has improved decision making. I am confident that under my stewardship, the UPF shall continue to improve command capabilities through training and mentorship at all levels,” Byakagaba said.

AIGP Tom Magambo, the Director of CID, said overall crime dropped by 10.2 per cent, with 196,405 cases reported in 2025 compared to 218,715 in 2014.

Of these, 115,301 cases were submitted to the ODPP. The DPP prosecuted 79,209 cases. A total of 31,732 led to convictions, while 43,551 remain under trial.

“The public needs to know that in our current capacity as CID we are working on a 1:55 ratio of detective case load, while the global desirable ratio is 1:12. This explains the huge case backlog we have,” Magambo said.

The report also shows declines in other crimes. Theft cases fell to 56,360 from 61,529 in 2024. Assault cases dropped to 26,366 from 29,580. Homicides slightly reduced to 4,238 from 4,329.

Despite the general decline in crime, police raised concern over narcotics and psychotropic substances. A total of 1,569 cases were reported in 2025, down from 2,240 in 2024, a 30 per cent decrease.

However, Magambo warned that the problem is spreading in a worrying way.

“While we have continuously seen that while the cases we handled last year reduced from the previous year, by 30%, there is still a huge concern when we see drugs of all kinds beginning to infiltrate our schools and homes,” he said.

“On average every two weeks we get a case of interest where a family especially well of children, and children are taking drugs. We see there is a drop in numbers but the magnitude of the problem is getting more concerning.”

Police say they plan to engage stakeholders, including Parliament, to address the growing threat of drug abuse among young people.