Gladys Mukisa.
On 15th January 2026, legible Ugandan voters will be descending to the ballot boxes while exercising their constitutional right in ensuring renewal of the social contract for their choice leaders in the next five years (2026-2031), call it general elections.
The awaited elections under the management of the national justice Simon Byabakama Electoral Commission (EC), were preceded by the campaign on goings, unveiled in October with clear kurt binding guidelines on the playing candidates and their supporters(voters).
Part of the guidelines is that one addressing how the campaign gatherings should be conducted by the political actors in liaison with EC and the law enforcement agencies(police), all aimed at fostering a peaceful free and fair electoral process.
First forward from onset, the process was peaceful with no reported cases of violence or sabotage against actors specifically at the presidential level, until as of late November and December when it was laced with violence, turning it and the country as a whole to look ugly.
Supporters for the opposition presidential candidates Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC) and Bobi Wine (NUP) were the victims mainly as some of their gatherings in different parts of the country were frequently seen either dispersed by the UPDF military officer and police using a barrage of long sticks, tear gas, water canons and canine dogs, or completely blocked, sparking serious concerns among electoral stake holders, questioning the integrity of the process.
Notable worst-case scenarios are the Gulu, Iganga and Luwero NUP campaign rallies where the security personnel seen inflicting pain on the populace with canes whipped on them severally by uniformed police, military, plain clothed- with covered face and open-faced officers.
But who benefits from this shuddering electoral violence. Is the country Uganda, the ruling NRM state party or the contending Opposition side?
Rosemary Nansubuga Ssenninde the head of Mobilization -NRM party decries electoral violence, saying, it affects the party. “We don’t support any form of electoral violence during elections” She told Blazer News Times in an Exclusive Interview.
Sseninde says EC had set rules regulating the process, thus they should be followed. She adds that the duty of peace keepers is to protect the citizens with their property and enforcing the electoral rules, urging for their observation.
One of NRM party historical Haj Abdul Nadduli told this Website in an Exclusive Interview that, it is the civilians that adversely left affected by the electoral violence since it is their children who face state torture and brutality.
The independent minded speaking presidential Advisor on Buganda Affairs explains that violence will mainly affect NRM party to the point of suffering eventual death like it was with KANU in Kenya and TANU in Tanzania that over stayed in power like it, after president its leader Gen. Museveni, unlikely European parties such as Labor and Conservative that have stood the test of time due to internal democracy that allows new leaders to come and go.
However, the leading opposition NUP party president Bobi Wine says the prevailing violence only benefits the state and it NRM party that uses it as a repressive and provocative tool against dissent voices to trap them in return, which they have denied with contempt.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Nobert Mao says the electoral violence only cast the ruling party in bad light and leaves it politically bruised, before he could challenge the EC to assert its authority over the electoral management process. The Uganda Human Rights Commission chairperson Marriam Wangadya noted in the statement that if restraint is not exercised, violence will adversely impact the citizens from exercising their constitutional right to choose their choice leaders, as well as the country’s democracy
