Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abbas Byakagaba has broken silence over the police act of unleashing dogs to the NUP president Bobi Wine supporters during his presidential campaign in Kawempe division last month.
This follows the public condemnation of the act which was described by the Uganda Law Society vice president Anthony Asiimwe as a colonial repressive human rights violation tool that should never be deployed against enjoyment of the Ugandan’s civil liberties that are guaranteed in the constitution, in the statement.
Citing the apartheid regime where they were used by the whites against blacks in South Africa, Asiimwe condemned the act as illegal only aimed at clamping on the dissent voices.
The Law Society’s protest statement was supplemented by the Buganda kingdom Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga’s, in which he urged the police and other security organs to let candidates be as they freely campaign for the support ahead of the January 15, 2026 elections as prescribed by the law.
Now IGP Byakagaba said that the dogs fall under the police canine unit. He explained that the unit was only deployed to protect restricted areas, but some Bobi Wine supporters instead attempted to attack them, thus a breach of the boundaries.
He was addressing journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru-Kampala on Monday.
On the current tensions between the security forces and Bobi Wine NUP supporters, Byakagaba blamed them on what he called violation of agreed campaign rules providing for the routes, rallies traffic, and public order.
“The political expression must be balanced with the rights of other citizens to conduct their daily activities without disruption” He emphasized.
The police chief said as security agencies strongly condemn all forms of electoral violence and lawlessness, warning that such behavior will be dealt with firmly.
He called for calm and respect for the law as the country enters the final stages of the campaign period.
