By Robert Migadde, the Chairperson of the NRM Buganda Parliamentary Caucus, has warned that continued brutality by security agencies against opposition politicians is eroding support for the ruling party and could negatively affect its performance in the 2026 General Election.
Migadde cited recent security confrontations involving National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi and his supporters, saying such actions are undoing political gains made under the Museveni-ku-Buganda engagement drive.
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“Anything that affects the sitting MPs and flag bearers directly affects our cause,” Migadde said, noting that the party has been struggling to recover lost parliamentary seats in Buganda. “We lost two Members of Parliament and our numbers dropped significantly. We have spent almost a year trying to recover, but in the last month to elections, we are seeing the same actions that cost us previously.”
Migadde warned that violence and intimidation during campaigns create fear among voters and generate sympathy votes for opposition candidates, a pattern he said has been witnessed in past elections.
“When there was no violence in the early stages of the campaign, NRM was gaining ground. But once people start imagining what could happen later if this continues, support declines,” he said, adding that such actions amount to “enemies of our cause.”
He called for open condemnation of the abuses, insisting that the party must clearly distance itself from acts of violence to reassure voters. “These are issues we must talk about and condemn so that people know we are against them,” Migadde said.
The NRM caucus chairperson also suggested that some actors within the security agencies could be exploiting the election period for personal or institutional gain, including budgetary justification.
“When there is relative calm, there may not be justification for certain operations. Some people could be using this situation to push for special budgets,” he said, pointing to intensified deployments when President Museveni is campaigning within the country.
Migadde further raised concerns about apparent lack of coordination among security agencies, noting conflicting public statements from police and the UPDF.
“At times they appear not to be coordinated. These are institutional issues that must be addressed,” he said, adding that even senior government officials have questioned who is in charge when abuses occur.
He urged responsible authorities to take control of the situation, stressing that the concerns being raised are legitimate and must be addressed in the interest of peace, electoral fairness, and the ruling party’s political future.
“The questions we are asking are not out of fear but because they matter to Uganda and to the credibility of the electoral process,” Migadde said.
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