Several supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) in Mayuge district say they have been forced into hiding following alleged post-election violence, with some sustaining injuries and families struggling to cope. One woman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that six security operatives stormed her home on 18th January 2026, seeking to arrest her son.
“He quietly used the back door and fled to an unknown location for fear of being linked to election-related offenses,” she explained. She added that although police assured her that her son was not a target, reports that his colleagues had been arrested have kept him in hiding. “My son meant the world to me, since he worked as a casual labourer in the neighbouring sugar mill to sustain our family of five,” she said.
Others bear physical scars from alleged beatings by security operatives. Samir Muzige, an NUP mobilizer in Mayuge town council, recounted being assaulted while at his shop along Bwondha Road on January 18th, 2026. “They beat me unsparingly, using big wires. I sustained bruises all over my hands and back, and I have been receiving medication from a private clinic, but the pain is still unbearable,” he said. Muzige added that persistent threats over phone calls and physical confrontations have forced him to remain in hiding.
Similarly, Francis Turemanya, another NUP supporter, said that security operatives stormed his shop and beat him before he was taken to Mayuge Health Center IV for treatment. Upon returning home, two armed men attempted to arrest him, but local leaders intervened, allowing him to recover. Turemanya has since fled. “Uganda operates a multiparty system, and I am free to support whoever I like. If these charges against me result from my allegiance to NUP, then it is heartbreaking,” he said.
Joseph Pancras, Mayuge District NUP Chairperson, said that more than 53 of their supporters were initially held at Mayuge Central Police Station for five days before being presented at Mayuge Grade One Magistrates Court on charges of inciting violence and public nuisance. “Some of them require specialized medical attention following beatings during arrest, but they are yet to secure bail,” Pancras said.
Pancras added that security operatives have continued to threaten arrests, forcing many supporters, including himself, into hiding. “All our foot soldiers who were not arrested between 17th and 20th January feel much safer in their hiding havens rather than returning home,” he said, noting that families of those in hiding struggle financially as most of them were primary breadwinners.
He expressed frustration that NUP supporters are being targeted, while the actual perpetrators of post-election protests remain free. “To my surprise, security operatives, including special polling constables, were going to homes of NUP supporters without explaining charges,” Pancras said. He also denied claims that the party organized the protests, explaining that “our foot soldiers could not go for protests without clearance from NUP leadership.”
Pancras suspects that the arrests may be based on false intelligence aimed at frustrating NUP supporters. He added that the party, under leader Kyagulanyi, has consistently advocated for peace despite provocations from security operatives. “We are peace-loving Ugandans, as evidenced in our actions throughout the campaigns. However, these post-election arrests derail us,” he said.
Busoga East police spokesperson Michael Kasadha dismissed claims of targeted arrests, asserting that those detained were linked to election-related violence. He urged those in hiding to return home, assuring that police are not actively searching for them. “Police will always arrest criminals. Those involved in unlawful activities should either reform or face the law,” he said.
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