The Executive Director of the Electoral Laws Institute (ELI), Charity Ahimbisibwe Kalebo, has urged security agencies to uphold transparency and non-violence during the ongoing election season, following growing public concern over police actions at a National Unity Platform (NUP) rally in Kawempe on Tuesday.
Ahimbisibwe emphasised that peaceful conduct is essential for safeguarding the credibility of Uganda’s electoral process.
“A good election should be transparent and peaceful. An election will never be free, fair, and credible if there is violence,” Ahimbisibwe said.
Her remarks come after videos and eyewitness accounts circulated widely, showing police deploying dogs—identified as hound-type animals rather than trained sniffer dogs—during an attempt to disperse supporters of NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu popularly known as Bobi Wine. The dogs were seen lunging and intimidating civilians, raising concerns over the appropriateness of their use in crowd control.
In addition to the dogs, officers reportedly used pepper spray, made forceful arrests, and maneuvered police vehicles during confrontations as they attempted to break up the gathering. These methods have sparked renewed debate about whether law enforcement is applying excessive or disproportionate force at political events.
Kawempe is an isolated incident in a series of incidents involving confrontations between security forces and NUP supporters. Similar disruptions were reported in Mukono and Buikwe, where NUP officials alleged increased violence at campaign activities.
Across other regions—Busoga, Bugisu, Lango, and Ankole—numerous NUP supporters have been arrested during or shortly after party events.
According to party sources, more than 300 supporters have been detained nationwide in recent weeks, raising concerns among human rights advocates and election observers about the broader environment for political participation.
Ahimbisibwe reiterated that maintaining public trust in the election process requires strict adherence to the principles of fairness and non-violence by all actors, including security forces.
She urged authorities to ensure that political gatherings are managed lawfully and respectfully, underscoring that peaceful political engagement is a democratic right.