His visit follows a violent confrontation in Lwemiyaga County, where Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers opened fire on civilians, leaving several injured and one dead.
The incident heightened fears of continued violence and political instability.
During a high-level, closed-door meeting with district leaders, Members of Parliament, and security commanders, IGP Byakagaba announced the creation of a new, independent police region based in Sembabule, alongside the deployment of additional officers and equipment from the Masaka region.
“We are in charge of the situation,” Byakagaba told journalists after the meeting.
“We have added more security and depending on how the situation evolves, we are prepared to bring in more manpower. We are promising that Sembabule will have very peaceful elections.”
Addressing concerns about the army’s role in recent events, the IGP promised a thorough investigation into the fatal shooting in Lwemiyaga.
“We are investigating that incident,” he confirmed. “We will release the findings of our investigation once it is complete.”
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo welcomed the IGP's visit and the establishment of a regional police command in Sembabule.
“Before this, we were relying on police from Masaka. But now, we have our own region, which is closer to the problem and more visible,” Ssekikubo said.
“This is what we’ve been demanding—not the army stepping in due to gaps in police deployment.”
He added that the district has received over 40 motorcycles, additional vehicles, and other logistical support to boost police operations.
“This should now be a fully-fledged region. We believe this will restore confidence among our people,” he said.
Other leaders also voiced concerns about military involvement in civil matters, emphasizing that law enforcement should remain the responsibility of the police.
“It has been the army that took over security here, and as a result, our people have been killed and maimed,” said Edmond Bwire, a Lwemiyaga aspirant.
“This move by the IGP is the right step, and we are hopeful it will lead to peaceful campaigns and elections.”
The IGP stressed that security agencies are committed to ensuring peace during the upcoming National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries and beyond.
“The people of Sembabule should have confidence in us. We are here for them,” Byakagaba said.
“Our goal is to eliminate lawlessness and ensure that elections are conducted peacefully, like in any other part of the country.”
With the deployment of more officers and the establishment of a localized command structure, many residents remain hopeful that peace and order will finally return to the troubled district.