NGORA, Uganda — In a dramatic turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the country’s security circles, former Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) warder Lawrence Ampe has officially traded his uniform for a political platform.
Barely a week after his summary dismissal for alleged “partisan social media posts,” Ampe surfaced on Saturday in Ngora District, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
Addressing a charged crowd in Ngora, the former warder, who was until recently stationed at Ngora Prisons, appeared unbothered by his loss of employment. Instead, he framed his exit as a liberation from a system he could no longer support.
“I was so happy for prisons to discharge me, it was my prayer always,” Ampe told the cheering supporters.
“We all know what is right even though most of you hide the truth. It doesn’t help us to keep jobs yet Uganda is dying. In a ‘New Uganda,’ jobs will be there. Stop fearing.”
Ampe’s defection to the NUP campaign trail is a rare and bold move in a country where security personnel are strictly prohibited from engaging in opposition politics.
The “juice” behind Ampe’s appearance lies in the speed of his transition. According to internal documents obtained by Vivid Voice News, the Prisons Council officially resolved to dismiss No. 17974 Warder Ampe Lawrence on December 17, 2025, with the dismissal backdated to December 9.
The UPS cited Ampe’s vocal criticism of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) on social media as the primary grounds for his termination, labeling his actions as a breach of the service’s code of conduct.
Bobi Wine weighs in
Welcoming the former officer to the podium, Bobi Wine characterized Ampe’s dismissal not as a failure, but as a “patriotic sacrifice.”
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“At your age, many Ugandans don’t know that they can contribute to their country,” Kyagulanyi remarked. “You had a government job and you were comfortable, just as I was comfortable. But we know you cannot be comfortable alone when the rest of your brothers and sisters are suffering.”
A growing Trend?
Lawrence Ampe’s public defiance marks a significant moment in the 2026 election cycle.
While the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has historically been strict with discipline, the sight of a former officer immediately jumping onto an opposition campaign truck creates a complex challenge for the government’s efforts to keep the security forces insulated from partisan politics.
Vivid Voice News has reached out to the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) spokesperson for a statement regarding Ampe’s political activities in Ngora; however, by press time, no response had been received by press time.
