The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has acknowledged that the chaos that unfolded in Gulu City during the visit of National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu was “regrettable,” but maintains that the incident resulted from what they described as the candidate’s defiance of an agreed campaign route.
On Monday, the Fourth Infantry Division Commander, Maj Gen Felix Busizoori, said security agencies had earlier agreed on a specific route Kyagulanyi was expected to use during his campaign in Gulu City. Gen Busizoori noted that Kyagulanyi was meant to enter the city through Airfield Road, proceed via Kaunda Grounds, and continue to Awere Playground in Bardege-Layibi Division, where his rally had been scheduled. Instead, he said, the candidate insisted on passing through the city centre.
Kyagulanyi was stopped by security personnel near the Bank of Uganda after completing his campaigns in Gulu District. He then opted to walk through the city centre on foot, triggering confrontations with security forces. “The only issue is just what happened. Of course, it is regrettable, but the issue is the defiance. People have been talking about the rule of law… why don’t we follow the rule? Why are some people defying everything?” Gen Busizoori told URN in an interview.
Gen Busizoori argued that Kyagulanyi had followed the guided route during his earlier rallies in Omoro and Nwoya districts without any incident, only to take what he called a confrontational approach upon reaching Gulu City. “If he used the route he was supposed to use, do you think there was going to be a scuffle? All the way from Omoro to Nwoya to Gulu District, he followed the route. But now when he reached Gulu City, because they wanted whatever they wanted from the city, he insisted,” said Gen Busizoori.
He added that the agreed route from Bank of Uganda to Kaunda Grounds, through Prison Road, and onward to Awere, had been clearly communicated and that deviation from such arrangements undermined security planning. Although acknowledging that the violent scenes were unfortunate, Gen Busizoori said security forces acted within their mandate to maintain order and ensure peace. “If you want us to provide the security, to ensure peace, let people follow the law,” he added.
Kyagulanyi has repeatedly accused security agencies of blocking his campaign routes and using excessive force to frustrate his mobilization efforts—allegations the army and police continue to deny. He also accused the Electoral Commission of remaining silent about what he described as repeated attacks by police during his campaign trail.
The Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, in a press statement on Sunday evening, condemned what he described as a violent confrontation against the presidential candidate in Gulu City. He urged dialogue—not violent confrontation—in case of disagreements during the campaign trail and called on law enforcement to exercise restraint and employ proportionate, lawful, and humane means while enforcing compliance with electoral laws and guidelines.
A section of religious leaders in the Acholi Sub-region also condemned the attack on the presidential candidate and called for a levelled ground for all contenders in the presidential race. Fr Eric Uma, Parish Priest of Holy Rosary Parish, on Sunday condemned both the violence and the conduct of security agencies during Kyagulanyi’s visit to Gulu.
He asked the president to investigate the incident and reminded him that nearly 40 years ago, he went to the bush to restore the rule of law and democracy in the country. “The head of state went to the bush in the 1980s because he was not satisfied with an election. He was not pleased with injustice. What happened yesterday (December 6, 2025) has surpassed what happened then,” he said.
Both the police and the UPDF have maintained that the security deployment in Gulu City over the weekend was meant to maintain peace and security. Gen Busizoori said three suspects—whom he described as belonging to the NUP political party—had been arrested over alleged violence in Gulu City. He did not provide further details about where the suspects were being detained.
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