GULU, Uganda — The Uganda Police Force has issued a statement expressing “regret” over the violent conduct displayed by its officers and Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers during clashes with supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi (popularly known as Bobi Wine), at a campaign stop in Gulu City on Saturday.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke acknowledged the widely circulated videos that showed security personnel assaulting civilians, including members of the candidate’s security detail, describing the scenes as “unfortunate and undesirable.”
However, the spokesperson simultaneously argued that Mr. Kyagulanyi contributed to the confrontation by allegedly disregarding an agreed campaign route.
Rusoke confirmed that a general file of inquiry has been initiated to investigate the circumstances of the beatings.
He emphasized the commitment to accountability, stating that any officer found culpable would face disciplinary action “without any mercy whatsoever,” though he also added that in some instances “operational challenges have overpowered the officers.”
Dispute over campaign route escalation
Despite the apology for the conduct of the security personnel, the spokesperson maintained that the genesis of the conflict lay with the candidate’s movements.
“Kyagulanyi proceeded to Gulu City where he had a disagreement with security over the campaign route,” Rusoke said, insisting that the diversion from the pre-approved plan was a major factor in the escalation of tensions. He did confirm that Kyagulanyi later successfully proceeded to the approved venue at Awere Grounds.
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Addressing concerns regarding the increased deployment of military and Uganda Prisons officers in crowd-control operations—as well as reports of security personnel being beaten—Rusoke defended the practice, noting that the law permits police to seek support from “any security agency” whenever the need arises.
Plea for public cooperation
Rusoke concluded by urging the public to cooperate with security personnel and avoid confrontations, warning that forces “will not hesitate to take any actions in their line of duty.” He advised civilians to exercise caution around officers during operations.
He added that security agencies had observed “continued provocation of security personnel” and called on the public to desist from violence.
Rusoke ended his statement by appealing for calm, discouraging inflammatory statements, and reminding security teams to operate strictly within established standards.
