This article provides a comparative analysis of state repression during Uganda’s 2016, 2021, and 2026 general elections. Utilizing a qualitative review of secondary data including human rights reports, judicial records, and legislative texts the study investigated how the Ugandan state has evolved its tactical response to political dissent. While the 2016 cycle was defined by overt, physical coercion, the 2021 and 2026 cycles revealed a transition toward “smart” repression, characterized by digital surveillance, legislative weaponization, and clandestine extrajudicial operations. This paper argues that these shifts represent a calculated move toward institutionalized authoritarianism, which fundamentally undermines democratic consolidation and constitutionalism in Uganda.