Busoga Kingdom condemns security brutality on Opposition, urges subjects to obey electoral guidelines

BUSOGA - Busoga kingdom has joined Buganda kingdom in condemning the high-handedness of security operatives against Opposition leaders and their supporters in the ongoing campaigns.

The kingdom’s second deputy premier, Osman Noor Ahmed, regretted what he called security brutality, aware that everyone has a choice of supporting whoever they wish.

“As Busoga kingdom, we say that everyone has a right to support a candidate of their choice, elections are a constitutional moment when citizens freely express their will and evaluate the best, we appeal to security operatives to reduce on its brutality,” he said.

The clashes have mainly pitted Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, and his supporters against security, which accuses him of violating election guidelines.

Speaking on the sidelines of the exhibition by the Emyooga Savings and Credit Co-operative Organisations (SACCOs) beneficiaries at the kingdom headquarters in Jinja city, northern division, on December 6, 2025, Ahmed appealed to security to tame their anger against their subjects.

The Premier’s direct message to Jinja Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Richard Gulume received applause from the audience.

He informed Gulume of the nasty situation that happened in the region, particularly at the Railway grounds in Iganga municipality on November 28, 2025, where Kyagulanyi and his supporters clashed with security.

During the scuffle, Mesach Okello, 33, a timber dealer and father of six from three spouses, was shot dea,d leaving three injured.

The deceased was a day later buried at Bulube village, Ndorwa sub-county in Buyende district.

“RCC, there are events that never moved on well some days back in our territory, we request through you the president’s representative (Gulume) to handle our people well, as Obwa Kyabazinga, we say that everyone has choice to support who they want,” he said.

Ahmed, who spoke in the presence of the Kyabazinga, William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV, said security had several ways to intervene in any situation other than firing live bullets, teargassing people and beating them.

Avoid clashing with security

Meanwhile, he also turned to their subjects and appealed to them to avoid clashing with security, saying they needed to adhere to the guidelines.

“If security instructs you to sit, do so, but if you try to provoke them, then the situation goes out of hand,” he cautioned.

He urged all stakeholders in the election exercise to be calm as they push for the entire exercise to conclude peacefully.

Despite campaigns starting on a good note, the confrontations started unfolding in Kawempe, a Kampala city suburb, before stretching to the districts of Mukono, Buikwe, Kayunga and Iganga, where a life was lost.

Accordingly, Buganda Premier, Peter Mayiga condemned the brutality, urging the Police and security agencies to keep law and order in a non-violent and non-partisan manner during this campaign period.

Mayiga opposed the banning of processions of supporters, saying it was unrealistic as political rallies were about excitement and not prayer meetings, to which worshippers act calmly.

Instead, he implored security to ensure that supporters didn’t harm others.

Gulume (L) greets the Kyabazinga, as Ahmed, who condemned security brutality on opposition, looked on during the exhibition at the kingdom headquarters in Jinja city on Saturday. (Credit: Jackie Nambogga)

“Let supporters be, bullets, teargas, dogs make the Pearl of Africa bleed,” he said.
During chaotic scenes, NUP leaders allege that more than 400 supporters had so far been detained on what they termed as trumped-up charges.

Kyagulanyi has since blamed Electoral Commission chief Justice Simon Byabakama of double standards while handling the entire 2026 General Election exercise.

He accused Byabakama of looking on as security was beating, hauling teargas and killing his supporters who yearn for change

Police's stand

However, on December 1, 2025, while addressing journalists at the Uganda Police Headquarters in Naguru, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba responded to concerns raised by Kyagulanyi, acknowledging recent incidents involving arrests of NUP supporters, the use of tear gas, and blockades affecting his campaign trail.

Byakagaba said the clashes between NUP supporters and security personnel stem from what he termed deliberate attempts by some political actors to provoke confrontations, violate campaign regulations, and disrupt peace during the election period.

He presented video clips compiled by Police cyber experts, which he said showed acts of provocation and disorder involving NUP supporters in several districts.

One clip from Mbarara showed a supporter shoving a female traffic officer, while another captured Kyagulanyi jumping out of a vehicle through an open sunroof to intervene in the arrest of rowdy supporters who allegedly attacked Police officers at Nkaatu Trading Centre in Iganga district.

Additional footage showed injured Police officers, which Byakagaba said demonstrates the risks facing security personnel while enforcing law and order during campaigns.

He added that the incidents in the districts of Kayunga and Iganga were not isolated, citing intelligence and field reports of similar behaviour in Lira and other districts.

These included unauthorised processions, stone-throwing, destruction of campaign posters, harassment of security personnel, and violations of campaign timelines.

“Some actors have deliberately refused to comply with campaign guidelines, and these actions are intended to provoke security officers into confrontation,” Byakagaba said, adding that the Police have exercised restraint despite the provocations.

Urge your subjects to maintain peace

Meanwhile, Gulume, whom Ahmed took by surprise, began by reporting to the Kyabazinga how the area, despite the ongoing campaign,s was calm.

Jinja city hosts both the kingdom headquarters and royal palace at Igenge hill at Bugembe.

Gulume would then ask the King to speak to his subjects to reduce the violence such that they go through the electoral process peacefully.

“Once you speak to your daughters and sons, they will ably listen to you for us to have a peaceful election process,” he said.

He said it was because of peace that the emyooga beneficiaries were able to develop and run their various enterprises with funding from the Microfinance Support Centre (MSC).