National security mobilisation task force maps strategy for peaceful 2026 elections

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The National Security Mobilisation Task Force in charge of the Bunyoro cluster has met to discuss strategies aimed at ensuring a peaceful 2026 general election.

The meeting, held on October 19, 2025, at Kontiki Hotel in Hoima city, was chaired by the deputy commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Air Force, Maj. Gen. David Isimbwa Abwooli, who also heads the Bunyoro cluster. It attracted UPDF generals who serve as district cluster heads, regional police commanders, and intelligence officers.

Among those in attendance were Kikuube district cluster head Brig. Gen. Omero Tingira Irumba Ateenyi, who is also the Defence and Security Advisor in Sudan (Khartoum); Masindi cluster head Brig Gen Akiiki Rugadya; Hoima city cluster head Brig. Gen. Ronald Bigirwa Abwooli and Cpt. Patrick Katusabe Atwokki, head of media and ICT, among others.

While addressing a press conference after the meeting, Maj. Gen. Isimbwa Abwooli noted that the task force will coordinate security agencies and engage stakeholders to mitigate risks such as political violence, misinformation, and electoral disputes.

The key strategies discussed included risk analysis, inter-agency training, public sensitisation on dos and don’ts, conflict-sensitive planning, establishing dispute resolution mechanisms, media engagement, and identifying potential hotspots for violence.

He said the goal of these strategies is to prevent violence and ensure a secure electoral process through proactive coordination and comprehensive risk management.

Isimbwa added that security agencies will work with all stakeholders to deliver free and peaceful elections, stressing the importance of timely preparation to avoid being caught unprepared.

He explained that, working with the police, deployments would be made from the regional level down to sub-counties to ensure peace and stability during and after the elections.

“We are going to be interacting with everybody, district security committees, formal operation units and other security agencies, but the lead in this will be the police. Why are we doing this? We are doing this because we do not want to hear what happens in other areas happening here,” he said.

He added that police and sister security agencies must be prepared to provide adequate security to ensure all registered voters exercise their right to vote without intimidation.

Isimbwa also urged candidates to adhere to electoral laws to ensure the process remains peaceful, free, and fair. He promised that the security forces would remain non-partisan and provide security for all Ugandans regardless of political affiliation.

Commenting on youth involvement in violence, Maj. Gen. Isimbwa Abwooli challenged political leaders to be mindful of the messages they convey to young people.

“I will not say that the youth are the root cause of violence, the leaders are sometimes the ones who cause problems, it depends on what message you give them, the youth are good when you show them what to do, we have been engaging them in other areas and you see that they also have expectations.”

He encouraged leaders to engage the youth positively and guide them to embrace government programmes such as the Parish Development Model, Youth Livelihood Programme, and Emyooga, instead of exploiting them for negative purposes.

“We should not go into things that do not help us; elections will come and go, but Uganda will remain as Uganda, and it is for all of us.”

Maj. Gen. Isimbwa Abwooli also urged media practitioners to uphold professionalism and ethics, warning them against bias and the dissemination of distorted information, as it could incite electoral violence.