Dr Sarah Bireete in the dock
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has granted bail to civil society activist Dr Sarah Bireete but imposed strict conditions, including an order requiring her to surrender her passport to court and a ban on travelling outside Uganda without prior judicial approval.
Dr Bireete, the Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, was released on a cash bail of Shs1 million after spending three weeks on remand at Luzira Prison over alleged violations of the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019.
In her ruling delivered on Wednesday morning, Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko held that the offences facing Bireete are bailable by law. However, the court attached additional conditions to secure her appearance during trial, citing concerns raised by the prosecution.
Apart from the cash bail, the court ordered four sureties to execute a non-cash bond of Shs10 million each. The sureties include her brother Joseph Beyanga, former Leader of Opposition Winnie Kiiza, Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) president Joseph Ochieno, and former Ugandan Ambassador to the United States Edith Grace Ssempala.
The magistrate further directed Bireete to deposit her passport with the court registrar and barred her from leaving the country unless granted express permission by the court. The restriction, the court noted, was necessary to mitigate the risk of absconding given the seriousness of the charges and the accused’s national and international profile.
Bireete was arrested on January 2, 2026, and charged under Sections 35(1) and (2) of the Data Protection and Privacy Act. Prosecutors allege that between January and December 2025, she unlawfully obtained and disclosed sensitive information from the National Voters Register without the consent of the Electoral Commission.
The prosecution claims that the alleged offenses occurred in districts including Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso. Bireete has denied all the charges.
During the bail hearing, her lawyers, led by Jude Byamukama and Uganda Law Society Vice President Anthony Asiimwe, argued that she was entitled to bail as a constitutional right. They also cited her medical condition, informing court that she suffers from hypertension and presented medical documents from Platinum Hospital.
However, Chief State Attorney Joan Keko strongly opposed the application. She questioned the credibility and financial capacity of the proposed sureties, arguing that they had not sufficiently demonstrated their ability to ensure Bireete’s return to court should she abscond.
Keko also dismissed the medical grounds advanced by the defence, stating that the law requires proof that Uganda Prisons Service cannot manage the accused’s condition—evidence she said had not been presented. She further warned that Bireete’s prominence as a civil society leader could enable her to interfere with witnesses or tamper with evidence.
In her ruling, Magistrate Nankya acknowledged the prosecution’s concerns but exercised her discretion in favour of bail, while imposing strict safeguards, including travel restrictions.
The case has been adjourned to February 27, 2026, for hearing.
Bireete’s arrest came days before the January 15 general elections, in which President-elect Yoweri Kaguta Museveni secured a seventh term in office. Her detention followed the suspension of several non-governmental organisations, including the Centre for Constitutional Governance, in the lead-up to the polls.
About the Author
