The Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, has summoned all Members of Parliament, district councilors, and aspiring political candidates from Sembabule District to a high-stakes security meeting following a series of violent clashes during National Resistance Movement (NRM) party activities.
The invitation, issued through the NRM Secretariat in Sembabule, includes all individuals eyeing parliamentary and local government positions in the forthcoming party primaries.
It follows the eruption of deadly confrontations in Lwemiyaga County last week, during which UPDF soldiers reportedly opened fire on rival campaign supporters, killing one person and injuring several others.
The victim’s identity has yet to be formally released, but the incident has intensified scrutiny over the use of armed force in what was expected to be a peaceful intra-party contest.
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo, a central figure in the local NRM power struggle, has publicly accused the army of acting with impunity.
“We demand that the IGP explains who these armed individuals are and why UPDF soldiers opened fire on unarmed civilians last week, killing a man in cold blood,” Ssekikubo said.
“Why haven’t those responsible been arrested yet?”
The clashes reportedly involved supporters of General Emmanuel Rwashande and Ssekikubo, both of whom are vying for influence ahead of the 2026 elections.
While details remain murky, eyewitnesses say live bullets were fired as soldiers attempted to break up a heated standoff between rival camps.
Peter Ochen, the regional police commander for Masaka West, downplayed the political significance of Byakagaba’s visit, calling it “a routine engagement” with regional commanders ahead of the 2026 general elections.
“This is just the IGP’s normal visit in the region to meet police commanders,” Ochen said.
However, local residents and political observers see the timing differently. Many believe the meeting is a direct response to growing unrest and what appears to be a breakdown in the neutrality of security agencies in the NRM primaries.
The Sembabule area has long been known for its intense political rivalries, often spilling into violence during election seasons.
The district's internal NRM dynamics—marked by personal feuds and factional power struggles—have repeatedly tested the party’s ability to maintain order during its internal democratic processes.
Byakagaba’s meeting with the leaders is expected to focus on de-escalating tensions, reasserting the role of the police, and clarifying the military's involvement in civilian political affairs.
With public outrage growing and questions about accountability left unanswered, the IGP faces pressure not just to calm the situation—but to act decisively against impunity in the security ranks.
