The government has warned that it will not allow any internal or external actors to destabilise Uganda following the recently concluded presidential and parliamentary elections, saying security agencies acted decisively to prevent violence and protect public order.
Speaking during a post-election situation briefing on Wednesday, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, said the polls were largely peaceful and commended Ugandans for maintaining calm throughout the voting period.
“We thank all Ugandans who participated in the electoral exercise and the Independent Electoral Commission for successfully conducting the elections,” he said.
However, the government acknowledged that a number of isolated incidents were recorded before, during, and after polling. Authorities attributed these incidents to what they described as indiscipline by some political actors who allegedly defied electoral guidelines issued by the Electoral Commission.
The briefing singled out members of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), accusing some of its leaders and supporters of provoking security forces and mobilising supporters in ways that risked public safety. The government said confrontations with police and other security agencies occurred in such instances, although voting itself proceeded without major disruption.
Security agencies have since arrested several individuals accused of attempting to incite violence. According to the government, those detained fall into two categories: individuals who reacted spontaneously after candidates they supported lost the elections, and organised groups allegedly mobilised to create unrest.
“There is video evidence of leaders in various municipalities conducting partisan meetings and training supporters on how to overwhelm security forces if results did not go in their favour,” Dr. Baryomunsi told journalists. He added that those implicated are being processed through the courts of law, while suspects still at large will be apprehended.
The government also cited past election-related violence, including killings in the Greater Masaka region following the 2021 elections, as justification for heightened security deployment. Dr. Baryomunsi said intelligence agencies disrupted what they described as coordinated plans to use social media to spread misinformation, disinformation, and incitement.
It was on this basis, the government said, that the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) temporarily restricted internet access during the election period.
“There was a detailed plan to create fear and anarchy across the country,” the minister said, adding that similar election-related instability has been witnessed in other countries.
The government reiterated its commitment to maintaining stability, warning that “criminal gangs hiding behind political activism” would not be allowed to plunge the country into chaos.
“We are resolved not to allow any force, internal or external, to destabilise Uganda,” he said.
