Bobi Wine nephew Ssentamu, guild presidents call for peaceful 2026 General Election

KAMPALA - National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi’s nephew, Churchill James Ssentamu, has urged Ugandans to maintain peace as the country heads into the 2026 General Election.

“Ours is to only request you to go and cast your vote. However, during the casting of this vote, what is really important is the aftermath. We request all Ugandans to respect and exhibit highest levels of tranquillity and order so that we can maintain a peaceful society thereafter,” he says.

He made the call on January 9, 2026, during a pressor of the Inter-University Guild Leaders Network in Muyenga-Kampala.

The youthful leader is the son of Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu, popularly known as Chairman Nyanzi, the former NUP Secretary for Mobilisation, who is currently seeking to reclaim the Kawempe parliamentary seat on NUP ticket.

Ssentamu, on the other hand, who is the 91st Guild President of Makerere University himself, is vying for the Central Youth MP seat on independent ticket.

Remarks

Addressing the country in the company of Eastern Youth MP Bernard Odoi and Guild Presidents from various universities, Ssentamu urged citizens to stay away from violence and political provocation. Arguing that national stability supersedes partisan interests.

“Henceforth, we equally want to request that once not provoked, the security operatives should not act out of hand. In the long run, we want to have a Uganda that we shall continue to live in and be proud of for the next five years. We shouldn’t lose lives because we have disagreed on certain things,” he implored.

After the elections, those that have discrepancies, you can go and do it the legal way. We have courts of law. If you feel that you have been cheated, in case there’s that even, go and report it to the necessary authorities, not go and push people to the streets. May the best candidate win,” Ssentamu added.    

2021 Presidential race recap

The call comes ahead of the Presidential Polls on January 15, 2026, in which Kyagulanyi will, for the second time, attempt to unseat President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), who is seeking to extend his stay in power to 45 years.
In the 2021 Presidential Elections, out of 18 million voters, President Yoweri Museveni polled 6,042,898 votes (58.38 percent) against Kyagulanyi’s 3,631,437 votes (35.08 percent).

Albeit complaints by the latter that the elections were flawed.

The Inter-University Guild Leaders pose for a photo moment during the Inter-University Network in Muyenga on Friday. (Credit: Bridgette Ahurira)

EC, Kyagulanyi clash over slogan

This time round, Kyagulanyi has shifted his message towards vote protection, rallying supporters under his four-point slogan: Kanonye (mobilise votes), Kalonde (vote), Kakuume (guard the vote) and Kabanje, a call to ensure that every ballot is counted and the final results properly accounted for.

This is on top of rallying supporters to remain within the legally prescribed 20 meters from the polling table after voting to stem any acts of dirty play.

An approach Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama warned on December 18 last year could be a recipe for conflict.

“As regards the Kabanje (demand) slogan, Section 53 (1) (d) of the same Act (Presidential) is explicit that the presiding officer shall hand over a copy of the declaration of results (DR) form to each of the agents of a candidate at a polling station. It is not fair for every voter to demand for a copy of the DR form from the presiding officer,” he said.

“Many polling stations, particularly in urban centres, are located in squeezed places, hence keeping the twenty-meters distance may not be observed. This will gravely impact the secrecy of the ballot,” Byabakama argued.

Further warning that large gatherings of supporters of different candidates at polling stations could easily lead to disagreements, commotion or violence, ultimately disrupting voting and vote counting.

To avert congestion, security has advised voters to cast their ballots and briefly return home, with the option of coming back when counting begins or not, since agents of their preferred candidates will be present to observe the process.

The guidance has not sat well with the opposition, who argue that it could be a ploy to rig their votes.

Strategic restraint 

Commenting on the contentious matter, Ssentamu urged all stakeholders to tow a middle ground.

“It is best that, first of all, we respect human rights, but again respect peace or the process. We should strike a balance between our individual rights and what things are threats to the peace and stability of the country, starting from polling stations,” he advised.

You may exercise your constitutional right to stay within 20 meters, but what you do while you stay determines what happens. I will not personally decide whether you should leave or stay. But whether you stay or leave, do it in the bounds of the law and maintaining peace and stability,” Ssentamu concluded.