Police Link Human Rights Training to Fewer Violations During 2026 Elections

The Uganda Police Force is training its officers on human-rights policing to ensure that suspects are treated humanely. It says past trainings have begun yielding positive results, citing a reduction in reported violations during the 2026 general elections. 

The remarks were made during a five-day regional training in Jinja City, organized by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), which has brought together 60 justice actors from across the Busoga sub-region. 

The justice actors comprise largely police officers, coupled with representatives from Uganda prisons service, judiciary, electoral commission, Uganda human rights commission-UHRC, Office of the directorate of public prosecutions-ODPP, and the ministry of gender. 

The training, held under the theme of promoting a human rights-based approach in handling suspects, especially vulnerable groups such as women, children, refugees, persons with disabilities, and the elderly, targets police officers, judicial staff, prosecutors, and other frontline justice institutions. 

Senior Commissioner of Police John Kamya, head of curriculum and doctrine development at Uganda Police Force, said the initiative is part of a broader effort to align law enforcement with human rights standards. 

“We have conducted similar trainings across the country over the past two years, particularly ahead of the 2026 general elections,” Kamya said.

“These efforts contributed to a reduction in human rights-related violations linked to police during that period.” 

He added that the impact is also being felt in routine operations, pointing to a decline in complaints such as the detention of suspects beyond the constitutional 48-hour limit. 

Kamya noted that justice actors are not only enforcers but also beneficiaries of human rights protections, making continuous training essential.