We don't plan to arrest Kyagulanyi, unless he breaks the law — army

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The Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) has said the interagency security services have no plans to arrest the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi unless he breaks the law.

Col Chris Magezi, the acting director of public information, on Friday (January 2) described as "empty talk" an earlier post by Kyagulanyi that security was planning to arrest him.

“This is certainly a smoke screen. What is NUP and their leader planning by coming up with this type of empty talk? The timing? We are watching closely whatever the machinations might be, and we will be ready to take appropriate action if needed," said Magezi.

Adding: "Otherwise, the interagency security services can categorically state that there are no such plans whatsoever to arrest Kyagulanyi at this point. Unless he offends the law of course.”

The NUP leader had alleged on Friday through his social media accounts that security agencies were planning to frame and arrest him.

He claimed to have got the information from "security circles", with the alleged plan to arrest him before the January 15 polling day. He also claimed that the other plan is to deploy goons, dress them in NUP party colours, and project them as violent.

Kyagulanyi urged his supporters to remain peaceful and nonviolent but very assertive.

The former Kyadondo East MP is contesting for the presidency for a second time, having come out second-best to President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), who is also in the eight-way race, in the 2026 election.

Other candidates in the current presidential race are James Nathan Nandala Mafabi of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Gregory Mugisha Muntu Oyera of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Mubarak Munyagwa Sserunga of Common Man's Party (CMP), Joseph Mabirizi of Conservative Party (CP), Robert Kasibante (National Peasants Party-NPP) and Frank Bulira Kabinga of Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP).

The campaigns will end on January 13 before Ugandans descend on the polling stations across the country to elect their next leaders.

In November 2020, Kyagulanyi was arrested by security while on a campaign trail in Luuka district. This was after Police announced tougher enforcement of the political campaigns, and threatened to arrest any candidate who would divert from the availed Electoral Commission guidelines on campaigns.

His arrest led to a deadly riot, with security agencies claiming many people were involved in looting.