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The recent Kawempe North by-election has sparked a heated political debate in Uganda, with opposition leaders accusing security forces of working in favor of the ruling party.
National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya has openly claimed that running against the National Resistance Movement (NRM) means going up against the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Police.
Speaking on NBS TV on Monday, March 17, 2025, Rubongoya stated, “When you are running against NRM in this country, you are running effectively against the UPDF and the Police.”
He argued that state security forces do not treat all parties equally and often intimidate opposition supporters.
NRM Secretary-General Todwong Richard strongly denied these claims, saying, “No, please. I thought you were a lawyer. You can easily separate these things.”
However, Rubongoya insisted that the actions of security forces speak louder than words. He questioned why the UPDF was only seen beating NUP supporters while leaving NRM members untouched.
He also pointed out that Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces, allegedly praised and even promised to promote journalists who were seen mistreating people during the election period.
Rubongoya further highlighted the different treatment of candidates. According to him, the NRM candidate moved around freely, while the NUP candidate had to be escorted by the Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JATT) almost everywhere. This, he said, showed clear favoritism and an uneven playing field.
The by-election, which was held after the death of former legislator Mohammad Ssegirinya, was marred by reports of violence, voter intimidation, and heavy security deployment. Many opposition supporters claim that such tactics are used to suppress NUP’s growing influence, particularly in urban areas like Kawempe North, where the party has strong support.