National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has described Saturday violence metted out against his supporters in Gulu as “unprovoked and unacceptable.”
Kyagulanyi told journalists that several of his bodyguards and party members were injured in what he called “a deliberate attack” on his team.
“Most of the beatings were directed at my bodyguards and the comrades around me,” Kyagulanyi said. “They even hit the bulletproof vest I was wearing. But let me assure them—this violence will not stop us from pursuing the new Uganda we envision.”
According to Kyagulanyi, some of the injured NUP members remain bedridden and under treatment following clashes with security personnel amid heavy rain in Gulu.
He accused senior security officials of remaining silent on the matter, saying their lack of action is “an endorsement” of the violence.
“The silence from security leadership shows they agree with what is being done by these officers,” he said. “But intimidation has never stopped us, and it never will.”
Kyagulanyi also called on international actors to condemn what he described as “consistent attacks on opposition leaders.”
“And I call upon the international community to speak out against these repeated attacks.”
The NUP president further condemned the reported raid on the party’s offices in Gulu, calling it “an attack on democracy and political organization.”
The Electoral Commission (EC) issued a statement on Sunday condemning the violence. However, Kyagulanyi dismissed the EC’s response as weak.
“The Electoral Commission reacted softly, as if what happened was a minor issue,” he said. “They should be holding those officers accountable.”
In response, police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said Kyagulanyi and his team are free to report the incident to parliament, where they feel they will receive fair treatment.