Tensions escalated today as police and Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) personnel surrounded the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters in Makerere Kavule, Kampala, effectively halting the party’s planned launch of its Youth Protest Vote campaign. The heavy security deployment comes amid ongoing friction between the opposition and the government ahead of the 2026 general elections.
NUP leaders, including Secretary-General David Lewis Rubongoya, condemned the blockade, calling it a “cowardly” attempt to suppress their lawful activities. “The regime has turned our headquarters into a military barracks to block the launch of the youth elections,” Rubongoya said in a statement posted on X. “Everything we do is legal, and we will not tolerate these acts.”
The police issued a statement late Sunday, April 27, canceling the rally, citing concerns over public order. “We have intelligence that certain activities could disrupt harmony,” police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said, justifying the deployment. The move follows a pattern of security interventions at NUP events, including a July 2024 blockade of the same headquarters ahead of an anti-corruption protest, where police arrested three NUP MPs for breaching public peace.
NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, echoed Rubongoya’s sentiments, accusing the government of stifling dissent. Posts on X by supporters, including @HonNambooze and @brucenahabwe1, showed images of armed security forces outside the headquarters, with captions vowing resilience. “We will not be silenced,” wrote Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze.
The Youth Protest Vote campaign aimed to mobilize young voters to challenge alleged corruption and human rights abuses under President Yoweri Museveni’s administration. Opposition leaders argue that such restrictions violate constitutional rights to assembly, a claim supported by rights groups who note that protest permits are rarely granted in Uganda.
The blockade also coincides with controversy over the alleged abduction of Kyagulanyi’s bodyguard, Edward Ssebuufu (Eddie Mutwe), on April 27, which police have denied knowledge of. Additionally, the death of former police commander Sam Omara at Mulago Hospital earlier today has fueled public discourse about state priorities, with some X users criticizing the government’s focus on suppressing opposition rather than addressing systemic issues like healthcare.
As of now, the NUP headquarters remains under siege, with no immediate resolution in sight. The party has vowed to proceed with its mobilization efforts, potentially escalating the standoff. “Our struggle is permanent,” Rubongoya declared, signaling defiance in the face of security crackdowns.