Less than a year has passed before the Uganda presidential election, the political situation is becoming increasingly tense. The NUP, the main opposition party, has denounced the brutal crackdown on activists, saying that 2,000 people have been invited since the last election in 2021.
Uganda is scheduled to hold a general election in January, with President Yoweri Museveni trying to extend the 40-year rule.
The final election of 2021 was undermined by extensive reports of fraud and harsh violence from security forces that Museveni denounced “wonders” and “lazy.”
The US-based Holocaust Memorial Museum recently warned of possible “massive atrocities” regarding the 2026 election.
Last Friday, Bobi Wine, leader of the opposition National Unified Platform (NUP), said the army had stormed the party’s headquarters in the capital, Kampala.
The opposition had planned to use its headquarters to launch a campaign and demonstrate that Ugandans would vote against the government in the general election, protecting their democratic rights.
Wine said his Bodgiuard Edward Sebuufu (also known as Mutwe) was “hardly accused” by an armed man in uniform associated with the Special Forces Command, an elite Ugandan army unit.
“Unjust system”
NUP executive director David Lewis Rubongoya told RFI that police initially denied responsibility for Sebuufu’s atonement.
However, General Muhuji Kainergaba, the Ugandan military chief and the son of the president, confirmed later on Friday that Sebuh was in fact in his detention.
In a series of posts on social media late Thursday, Kynergaba said Sebouf was filmed “like a grasshopper.”
“He’s in my basement… you’re next,” warned Wine, known for X’s infamous post.
The press could not immediately independently verify the photos, but the NUP party later reused it with an X handle in a post asking for Sebuufu’s support.
Wine told French news agency AFP in a “reminder to the world about how law and order have collapsed in Uganda.”
“To confirm that Muhoozi has confirmed Eddie Mutwe’s aid and illegal detention, and share his photos to the level of immunity reached by the Rogue administration,” he added.
Military Court
NGOs and opposition politicians have long accused the Museveni government of using military courts to indict opposition leaders and supporters of politically motivated accusations – accusations the government denied.
Museveni, 80, has been president of the Republic of Uganda since 1986. Under his administration, opponents have been suffering from crackdown for decades, including former presidential candidate Kiza Bessiji and Wine, whose real name includes Robert Kiergrani.
Wine was arrested several times after the campaign for the presidency. He was first arrested in 2021 and 2023 and 2024.
Besigye, a veteran political rival of Museveni, has been in custody for nearly five months on treason, which his lawyers say is politically motivated.
According to the NUP, the opposition has denounced more than 18 activists since 2021, from 18 to 2,000 activists since 2021.
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However, Ugandan authorities take a different view and cited the NUP gathering as “illegal” because it poses a threat to public safety.
Enoch Bharata, a senior member of the Dominant National Resistance Movement (NRM), says the government must support police intervention.
For him, “nups have become accustomed to causing violence, blocking roads and sowing mixed chaos among the population,” he told RFI. “At some point, we need to distinguish between civil and political rights and pure crime.”
The government accused the NUP of exploiting the situation and portraying itself as a victim.
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“Once again, we see the nups denounce the temptation, but later we see that they are self-movements for political interests,” Bharata said. “This case needs to be resolved.”
Nup’s Rubongoya told RFI that his party’s activities are “always peaceful until the police arrive and start shootings to stop our political action.”
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The ruling NRM is holding an internal election this spring. More than 2 million officials are expected to be elected on May 6th ahead of the candidate selection process for next year’s general election.
The country will also be holding youth council elections nationwide on June 12th, part of the broader roadmap for the 2025-2026 general elections outlined by the Uganda Election Commission.
They are designed to select representatives at various management levels, providing young Ugandans with a platform to participate in governance.
RFI’s Christina Okello reports with Reuters
