Political Prisoners Project is an advocacy and documentation initiative by Agora that seeks to identify, profile, and support individuals unjustly detained for their political beliefs, activism, or expressions of dissent in Uganda and in East Africa. These individualsâranging from journalists Politicians, and student leaders to human rights defenders and opposition supportersâare often incarcerated under vague or politically motivated charges such as inciting violence, treason, or terrorism and Hate Speech. This project aims to shine a spotlight on these prisoners through verified storytelling, digital campaigns, legal support linkages, and international advocacy. Through humanizing the statistics and amplifying the voices of those behind bars, Political Prisoners Project seeks to foster public empathy, mobilize local and international solidarity, and pressure state institutions to respect civil liberties and uphold justice. The initiative will also work closely with families of the incarcerated, civil society networks, and pro bono legal actors to monitor trials, provide psychosocial support, and push for fair legal redress and eventual release. At its core, Political Prisoners Project is a moral and civic call to action: No one should be imprisoned for believing, thinking, or speaking differently.
Dr. Kizza Besigye
Veteran Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, 68, has been charged with treason in a civilian court following his dramatic abduction from Kenya in November 2024 and subsequent detention in Uganda. Once President Museveniâs personal physician and a four-time presidential challenger, Besigye is accused of plotting to overthrow the government through meetings held in Switzerland, Greece, and Kenya, where he allegedly solicited military and financial support. The charges, which follow a landmark Supreme Court ruling declaring the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional, come after years of political persecution that have seen Besigye arrested over 100 times. His recent hunger strike and frail court appearance have reignited concerns over his health and treatment in detention. Despite being less politically active in recent years, Besigye remains a potent symbol of resistance in Uganda, with human rights groups calling his prosecution another attempt to silence dissent in an increasingly authoritarian regime.
Tundu Lisu
Tundu Lissu is Tanzaniaâs leading opposition figure and chairman of CHADEMA, the countryâs main opposition party. A lawyer and former Member of Parliament, Lissu is known for his outspoken criticism of the ruling CCM party. In 2017, he survived an assassination attempt after being shot 16 times, undergoing over 20 surgeries in Kenya and Belgium. Despite his injuries, Lissu returned to politics, challenging President John Magufuli in the 2020 elections. In January 2025, he defeated Freeman Mbowe to become CHADEMAâs chairman. He is now leading the âNo Reforms, No Electionsâ campaign ahead of this yearâs elections. Lissu was recently arrested in Mbinga District and has been charged with treason.
Dr. Riek Machar
Dr. Riek Machar is the First Vice President of South Sudan and the leader of the Sudan Peopleâs Liberation Movement-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO). A key figure in South Sudanâs turbulent path to independence and peace, Machar has long been at the center of efforts to end the countryâs cycles of civil war and political fragmentation. In March 2025, Dr. Machar was forcibly placed under house arrest by government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, accused of âagitating rebellionâ and undermining peace. The move followed renewed tensions and clashes between SPLM-IO troops and government forces, particularly in Nasir County. His detentionâexecuted without due processâviolates the 2018 peace agreement that brought him into a fragile power-sharing government. It is widely seen as a politically motivated crackdown aimed at weakening opposition and consolidating authoritarian rule in Juba. Despite international condemnation, Machar remains confined, cut off from political activity and engagement with his supporters. His arrest threatens to unravel years of peacebuilding and risks dragging South Sudan back into full-scale conflict.
Eron Kiiza -
Eron Kiiza, a prominent Ugandan human rights lawyer known for representing opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, was sentenced to nine months in prison on 7 January 2025 after a military court summarily convicted him of contempt. The conviction followed a chaotic court session in which soldiers blocked Kiiza from accessing the defense bar, prompting him to protest by shouting and banging on the courtroom barricade. He was then violently assaulted, dragged into the dock, and convicted without trialâan incident widely condemned by human rights groups as a blatant attack on the legal profession and the rule of law. Detained incommunicado and tortured while in custody, Kiiza sustained serious injuries including a broken finger and head trauma. His case has become emblematic of the increasing crackdown on lawyers, activists, and political opponents in Uganda, and exposes the stateâs misuse of military courts to silence dissent. Rights organizations and legal experts have called for his immediate release and urged the Supreme Court to rule against the unconstitutional trial of civilians in military courtsâa practice at odds with both Ugandan and international law.
Brightish Daniels Mazinga Juuko
Brightish Daniels Mazinga Juuko, a former university lecturer and outspoken critic of the Ugandan regime, became a political prisoner after a brazen cross-border abduction in late 2022. Lured to Nairobi under the pretense of delivering a lecture, he was instead kidnapped, secretly transported back to Uganda, and held incommunicado by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) for eleven months. During his detention, he endured daily interrogations without trial or access to legal counsel. He was eventually brought before a military court martial in Makindye without a lawyer, family presence, or any form of support, and was subsequently remanded to Kitalya Prison, where he remains to this day. His only scheduled court appearance since then, in February 2024, ended without him ever seeing a judge. Juuko now languishes in prison, uncertain of when or if he will ever appear in court again, having lost hope of release. His harrowing story, first brought to light by human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza, underscores the plight of Ugandaâs many forgotten victims of military injustice.
Yasin Ssekitoleko (Machete)
Muwase Patrick, a 21-year-old cattle trader from Nansana, was arrested at home on the eve of President Museveniâs swearing-in. His only crime is supporting the National Unity Platform (NUP) and helping to organize their campaign. Like many young Ugandans driven by hope for change, Patrick was politically engaged and working alongside his brother, Haruna Ziraba, in the cattle trade to sustain their family. Patrick was more than just a youth with political aspirationsâhe was a pillar of support at home. He contributed to the family income and played a vital role in caring for his parents. His sudden and unexplained arrest has left a painful vacuum, cutting short both his economic contributions and his personal dreams. His case mirrors the plight of many Ugandans detained for their political beliefsâno formal charges, no fair trial, and no consideration of the lives their absence affects. Patrickâs imprisonment has not only disrupted his future but shattered the stability of a family that relied heavily on him. He remains one of the countless young voices silenced by political repression, reminding us of the heavy toll exacted on families by Uganda’s shrinking civic space.
Kabahuma Milka, a student from Bugema University, was arrested during a peaceful protest calling for the release of political prisoners. Young, passionate, and driven by a deep sense of justice, Milka joined the protest not as a politician, but as a concerned citizen raising her voice against the unlawful detention of others. Her participation in the protest led to her own arrestâan ironic and tragic twist that reflects the shrinking space for civic engagement in Uganda. She is now one of the many political detainees held without trial or formal charges, simply for exercising her constitutional right to peaceful assembly. Milkaâs detention has disrupted her education, her future plans, and her familyâs hopes for a better life. Like many young women across the country, she represents the courage and resilience of a generation that refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice. Her story reminds us that no one is safe in a system where speaking out can cost you your freedom.
