2026 polls: Police pledge to uphold human rights

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The Police say they are committed to ensuring peace during the 2026 general election. They have also promised to uphold human rights and work closely with the Electoral Commission (EC), all political parties and stakeholders.

This assurance was made during a meeting with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) at the Kingdom Kampala on May 14, 2025, where the EOC presented a five-point strategic plan to enhance inclusive political participation.

"As you all know security is the backbone of democracy, we cannot have democracy without security and as law enforcement, our role in this election period is to make sure we do our best to work with all the political actors but also to keep guiding them on the different Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the different rules that should be followed as they exercise their political rights," Police operations director Frank Mwesigwa said.

According to Mwesigwa, the Police are committed to ensuring peaceful elections, warning those who intend to cause trouble to desist.

"We are working with all the political parties very well... it's a work in progress, and where we get some political actors not following the guidelines, we again put them on the table and discuss, and I believe moving forward, we shall have peaceful elections," he said.

Mwesigwa was responding to EOC chairperson Safia Nalule Juuko's call for impartiality and fairness in the Police force.

"Following the provisions of the Constitution and Police Act, the Force should be fair to all political players," she said.

She also highlighted the need for assisted voting services for vulnerable groups: "Work alongside the Electoral Commission (EC) to provide assisted voting services for elderly persons, pregnant mothers, persons with disabilities, and those with health challenges. Priority lines should be created to facilitate easier voting for these groups."

The EOC also cautioned the police against unconstitutional detention of suspects, emphasising the 48-hour rule. "Detention beyond 48 hours causes the general public to withdraw their trust and confidence in police and government institutions," Nalule noted.

Additionally, the EOC advised the Police to assign more sign language interpreters to different departments to facilitate the participation of people with disabilities.

EOC secretary to the commission, Dr Shaft Nasser Mukwaya, expressed satisfaction with the Police's response, saying, "We had to call Police officers today to share with them our concerns, and we are happy that they have responded".

The meeting was attended by over 20 government officials from both the EOC and the Police. Some of the EOC officials in attendance included commissioner in charge of compliance and enforcement James Mugisha, senior compliance officer Irene Nafungo and spokesperson Yusuf Muziransa.