By KT Reporter
The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has launched an investigation into viral videos showing police officers defacing posters of National Unity Platform (NUP) Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
The two videos were captured in separate areas, reportedly in City Centre and Mbale City.
In the Mbale incident, three police officers, one wearing a police T-shirt and armed with a gun, accompanied by two others from the Field Force Unit (FFU), are seen approaching two NUP supporters who were attempting to erect a large poster of Kyagulanyi on the roadside, and ordering them to remove it.
However, in a moment, the officer angrily approached the two NUP supporters, who were dressed in NUP attire, and grabbed the poster. When they attempted to resist, one officer started tearing the poster off its stand. The situation escalated, and the officer aimed, charging his gun and preparing to shoot.
In the video, the other officers are seen firing teargas canisters at the two NUP supporters. NUP Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi condemned the police’s lack of impartiality and identified the officer who tore down the poster as Mustafa Mulalira, the Officer in Charge of Operations at Mbale Central Police Station.
“Our coordinators in Mbale made this poster and took it to our Mbale city office. Mulalira raided them and tore the poster, and his team fired live bullets at them. Uganda Police, we’ve seen NRM supporters with huge posters of their candidate in different cities and towns. Is it a crime if the poster is for the NUP candidate? Ssenyonyi questioned via his X platform.
Another viral video shows two police officers in the city centre, near Mini Price, clashing with NUP supporters dressed in red, who were attempting to erect a large poster of Kyagulanyi on the roadside on Wednesday, the day he was nominated.
In the process, one officer grabbed the butt of his AK-45 and tore the poster of Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, before removing the remaining pieces from the roadside in the city centre near Mini Price in Kampala.
The viral videos, which have sparked criticism of police officers’ conduct, have prompted the police to announce an investigation into the incidents. According to a statement by Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, the investigation has been launched.
“The Uganda Police Force has taken note of two videos circulating on social media, which appear to show police officers tearing down a candidate’s posters during operations. The footage depicts an altercation between police officers and NUP supporters, resulting in the dispersal of the supporters, according to Rusoke.”
“He added: ‘Some campaign materials were damaged, and the police have launched an investigation into these allegations. Appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry into these two incidents that occurred on Wednesday in Mbale and the city centre.'”
Apart from the two captured incidents, several NUP posters were removed from roads by KCCA cleaners, while others were defaced by security personnel at various locations in Kampala on Wednesday and Thursday. Notably, NRM posters featuring President Museveni remained intact.
At Namungona flyover, UPDF officers were witnessed by a URN reporter as early as 7:00 a.m. on Thursday removing two posters of Kyagulanyi and disposing of them in the nearby Lubiji swamp.
Kampala Capital City Authority spokesperson Daniel NuweAbine was unavailable for comment by press time. However, the authority had previously issued guidelines for displaying posters, including obtaining a permit and avoiding placement near junctions and security cameras, though some of these guidelines were largely disregarded.
The 2021 general elections were marred by the arrests of opposition supporters, mostly for erecting campaign posters of their presidential candidates in various parts of the country, by security personnel. Political analysts warn that with the 2026 general election campaigns kicking off next week, similar issues may resurface.
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