National Unity Platform (NUP) Kawempe South parliamentary aspirant Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu, who is also an elder brother to party presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has strongly condemned what he described as escalating police aggression targeting Opposition campaign activities across the country.
Speaking during Sanyuka Morning Xpress on Thursday, Nyanzi said the NUP enjoys “overwhelming support in Kawempe”, insisting that the atmosphere would be peaceful “if security agencies operated within the law.”
“We have overwhelming support in Kawempe. Kawempe is ours, and we are winning massively,” Nyanzi said, emphasising that the community has shown unwavering backing for the NUP’s message of change.
However, he argued that the political environment continues to be undermined by unlawful interference from state security organs.
Nyanzi criticised the police for what he called a persistent pattern of operating outside the country’s legal framework.
“This country has never changed. We have a Constitution and laws, but the police do not follow them. What they are doing is not right,” he said.
He explained that ahead of the Kawempe campaign rally, the NUP team held a harmonisation meeting with the police and agreed on the campaign route. While the plan was initially rejected, the Uganda Police Force later approved it—yet disruptions still followed.
According to Nyanzi, security personnel allegedly planted individuals at the venue with the intent of provoking violence.
“The police are doing mafia work. When we reached the venue, they planted their own ghetto structures to provoke them,” he said.
Nyanzi further alleged that officers sometimes stage incidents to justify breaking up NUP gatherings.
“The police attack themselves to disrupt rallies, yet our people remain peaceful,” he said.
The controversy follows Tuesday’s NUP presidential rally in Kawempe, where police deployed dogs that were seen lunging at and intimidating civilians.
Videos widely circulated online show the dogs—appearing to be hound breeds rather than specialized sniffer or security dogs—being used in crowd-control operations.
The scenes triggered public criticism and renewed debates about the direction of law-enforcement tactics during the campaign period.
In addition to the dogs, the police reportedly used pepper spray, forceful arrests, and aggressive vehicular maneuversto disperse supporters of Bobi Wine.
Kawempe is the latest in a string of campaign disruptions targeting NUP events.
In Mukono and Buikwe, also in the central region, the party reported increased violence alongside misunderstanding with security forces.
In Busoga, Bugisu, Lango, and Ankole, several NUP members were arrested during or after campaign activities following clashes with security operatives. The party claims that over 300 party supporters have been arrested nationwide in recent weeks.
Although security agencies often cite security concerns for their interventions, NUP maintains that its campaign events have been largely peaceful.
Bobi Wine, who remains a central figure in the Opposition movement, continues to draw large crowds despite tightening restrictions and repeated disruptions.
As the campaign season intensifies, the escalating confrontations between the Opposition and security forces continue to raise concerns about political freedoms, civil rights protections, and the overall fairness of the electoral environment.
NUP leaders say they remain committed to non-violence and lawful campaigning—but warn that continued interference threatens the integrity of the democratic process.