People’s Liberation Party (PLP) Leader Martha Karua on Sunday, February 8 strongly condemned what she termed as the systematic violence, sexual assault, and political repression currently targeting women in Uganda following the January 2026 elections.
Speaking alongside civil society leaders and civic rights organizations as part of the Pan-African Progressive Leaders Solidarity Network (PAPLSN), a coalition of democracy champions from across the continent, Karua described the situation as a grave assault on human dignity and the rule of law in East Africa.
“Today, I stand with fellow regional leaders to decry violations that include brutal assaults, the humiliation of women political actors, and the use of sexual violence as a tool of political intimidation,” Karua stated. “What is happening in Uganda is not an internal matter; it is a regional and continental emergency that demands urgent action.”
A pattern of repression
Karua, who served as Kenya’s Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs (2006-2009) under President Mwai Kibaki, emphasized that while such acts are reprehensible, history shows they are ultimately a sign of state failure.
Reflecting on a career that spans back to the pro-democracy movements of the 1990s, where she personally faced the brunt of political intimidation and gender discrimination, she noted: “History has proven that censorship, gender-based-violence (GBV) and intimidation cannot silence the demand for freedom, and the work championed by women leaders. For every suppressed voice, more emerge. These acts are atrocious and reprehensible, but they will not prevail.”
Regional solidarity
The PLP leader warned that “East Africa’s democratic health is interconnected,” noting that the normalization of impunity in any one country threatens citizens across borders. Karua, who was the Vice Presidential candidate for the Azimio coalition in 2022, cautioned that Kenya must remain vigilant as it prepares for its own upcoming elections.
This intervention follows Karua’s own experience with shrinking democratic space in the region; in 2025, she faced regional political opposition and attacks standing in solidarity with embattled Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
“Despite recent trends to clamp down on political, media, and democratic freedoms, our youth and the wider population have proven that the hunger for liberty cannot be contained by oppressive actions, censorship, digital blackouts, or borders. When faced with challenges to our freedoms, we rise again, stronger, and united.”
She added: “I call on the African Union and the East African Community to move beyond statements of concern and take concrete steps to hold perpetrators accountable and protect the victims of electoral violence in Uganda.”
