Uganda’s military warned on Saturday against what it called inflammatory political rhetoric that could spark violence ahead of the country’s 2026 general election.
In a statement, the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) said it was concerned by comments attributed to the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, whom it accused of urging supporters to surround polling stations on election day and later march to the capital, Kampala.
The military said the opposition leader had also encouraged supporters to prepare for confrontations with security forces, claiming police and army personnel would be overwhelmed by numbers.
The UPDF described the remarks as dangerous and misleading, warning that they risk drawing young people into violent clashes with the state.
“In the worst-case scenario, those who incite violence and promote anarchy by misleading the youth of Uganda to violently confront security forces will themselves not escape the outcome,” said the statement signed by the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, Col Chris Magezi.
The military cautioned that attempts by political leaders to undermine the credibility of Uganda’s security institutions were unacceptable, citing the country’s history of instability and the role of the armed forces in maintaining order.
Responding to Bobi Wine’s insinuations about its capabilities, the UPDF pointed to past operations against armed groups in the region.
“If the NUP leader is in doubt about the capabilities of our armed forces, he should consult al-Shabaab in Somalia, the Allied Democratic Forces and CODECO in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Joseph Kony and his defunct Lord’s Resistance Army,” it said.
The UPDF said Uganda’s armed forces were prepared to maintain security and warned that any attempt to challenge state authority would be dealt with decisively.
It urged political actors to campaign peacefully and in line with electoral laws.