Rights body roots for peaceful elections, warns Police against arrests, teargas
As stakeholders, Byonabye said they all needed to contribute to a violence and chaos-free exercise by being ambassadors of peace.
UHRC director of research, education and documentation, Kamadi Byonabye speaking during the event. (Photos by Jackie Nambogga)
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The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has urged the Police to strive for peaceful elections by allowing people to express themselves regardless of their political affiliations.
Uganda is currently under a campaign period leading up to the early January 2026 General Election. However, the campaigns, which had initially been peaceful, have started having pockets of violence with one fatality.
“Elections are like tribes, political parties shouldn’t divide us, we can never think the same, that is how God created us, allow people to think the way they want,” the UHRC director of research, education and documentation, Kamadi Byonabye said.
Byonabye cited Article 29 that talks of freedom of thought, conscience and expression, saying these were among the laws for people to exercise their mandates.
“It is in our laws, and let us implement them. If one wants to be a member of the Common Man's Party or the Democratic Party, let them be. At the end of the day, the filter is with the Electoral Commission, the one who wins would be declared, and life continues,” he said.
Therefore, he appealed to the Police against rushing to arrest and teargassing people, yet its primary objective was to keep law and order.
Speaking at a stakeholders' regional dialogue on elections and human rights at Hotel Continental in Iganga municipality on November 28, 2025, he said confrontations like arrests, fighting and beatings needed to be the last resort.
Byonabye reminded all security operatives that beatings were inhumane and not allowed.
The Jinja regional UHRC office-organised event was attended by participants from Busoga and Bukedi regions, such as Electoral Commission officials, senior Police officers, politicians, opinion and religious leaders, journalists and civil society organisations.
The officer called for professionalism in the Police and as trained officers, they needed to employ what he termed as special skills and tactics while dealing with the public.
Some of the senior police officers who attended the stakeholders dialogue on human rights and elections organised by the UHRC in Iganga town.
“You just look at a person and conclude that they are about to commit a crime. If you are not professional enough, everybody would be in Police custody and by the time people plead innocence, damage would have already been done. Don’t rush to arrest or teargas people, stick to your primary objective,” he urged.
As stakeholders, Byonabye said they all needed to contribute to a violence and chaos-free exercise by being ambassadors of peace.
“Each one of us has a contribution to make, let violence, chaos not stem from where you see it, let it not be attributed to you, just be ambassadors of peace,” he urged.
Professionalism is key
To the media, Byonabyo rooted for professionalism by remaining objective and balanced with an aim of causing peace, stability and sustainable development during this season.
“The election season is here, each of us is a very important actor as stakeholders, the media can shape the narrative, I know you are trained, you have gone through conflict-sensitive reporting, aim at nation building,” he urged.
He said journalists need to be patriotic citizens by not tarnishing the country’s image with what they convey, as they are likely to affect its revenues.
“There are stories we see and wonder whether they are patriotic citizen or someone who wants to see the country fall. At the end of the day, we need the country, it is the boat we all swim in, let us avoid irresponsible reporting with due respect,” he prayed.
Meanwhile, Busoga East Diocese bishop Paul Hannington Suubi appealed to the Government and security officers to limit harassments, intimidation and threats during the ongoing campaigns.
However, he appealed to the general public to also be respectful of the law by not provoking the enforcement officers.
“Some people do provoke the law enforcement officers and they respond after being provoked so much. I, therefore, ask the stakeholders, voters and citizens to desist from such acts because they are also human beings,” he urged.
Also, Suubi encouraged candidates to desist from using abusive and vulgar language.
“As elders, acts of turning to your competitors and abusing them show primitive and backwardness, if you have gone to campaign, let people know your agenda, simply present your program, because we are here to listen and make informed decisions to give you the votes,” he said.
He preached respect and love for each other as he reminded the public to understand that leadership was a service and a gift from God, hence no need to fight or struggle but work for it.
Bukedi South region Police commander Ayatollah Kapchemut said as the lead agency, their role was to support the Electoral Commission in ensuring that they create an enabling space for the citizens to exercise their rights without any compromise.
He denied acting on orders from above, as they usually label them, saying they all have a shared objective of ensuring that people were able to participate in the process on a level footing to achieve a peaceful, free and fair exercise.