The coming into power of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Government in 1986 ignited hope amongst Ugandans for a democratic, transparent and accountable system of governance that would protect, respect and promote the fundamental rights of every person. This is because most of the previous regimes had been characterized by gross human rights violations that had not been redressed. President Yoweri Museveni’s inaugural speech on 26 January 1986, in which he promised Ugandans that the new government was not a mere change of guards but rather a fundamental change, gestured a determination of his government to be different from its predecessors in all respects.
However, for the past 20 years, national and international human rights organisations have documented continuing human rights violations perpetrated by state security organs. These reports have always raised concerns and made recommendations which remain valid to date.