Uganda copying Russia and China with new bill designed to crush dissent, say critics

Uganda’s coat of arms. Critics of the proposed protection of sovereignty bill call it the ‘very definition of a coup d’état’. Photograph: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images

Ugandan opposition figures, human rights organisations and legal experts have condemned a sweeping bill that proposes up to 20 years in prison for promoting “foreign interests”, and imposes restrictions on a broad range of people and organisations that work with or receive funding from overseas partners.

The protection of sovereignty bill 2026 is being fast tracked through parliament, with debate expected to conclude before the presidential swearing-in on 12 May.