The trouble with state lawlessness: No one is safe

What the report says

The Observer published a viewpoint arguing that Uganda is facing a widening problem of state lawlessness, with the author saying the country’s post-1986 political order has drifted from its original ideals. The piece says this erosion is visible in the conduct of security forces and in how power is exercised across public institutions, including policing and the courts.

A central example is a July 20 video from Kisekka Market in which armed men in civilian clothes fired into the air during an arrest attempt. The article says traders closed their shops while the incident unfolded, and later notes that police described the men as officers carrying out a lawful operation and firing warning shots after people tried to interfere. The writer argues that the episode reflects a broader pattern in which citizens cannot easily distinguish police action from criminal behavior. The article also recalls earlier arrests and disappearances linked to the same market area.

The commentary connects that concern to other episodes, including the disappearance of a child during the Kawempe byelection and the case of political activist Sam Mugumya, who is said to have been missing for about a year. It also refers to opposition figure Kizza Besigye and criticizes what the writer sees as pressure tactics in the justice system. The overall message is that if lawlessness becomes normal, no one is ultimately protected, and the state loses the legitimacy needed to keep citizens safe.