The Electoral Commission (EC), led by Chairperson Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, has met with senior leadership of the Uganda Police Force, headed by Director of Operations AIGP Frank Mwesigwa, to address the ongoing clampdown on opposition campaigns in the Kawempe by-election.
Over the weekend, political campaigns for the Kawempe North by-election commenced following the nomination of 10 candidates. The nominated candidates include:National Unity Platform (NUP): Erias Liyimbazi Nalukoola; National Resistance Movement (NRM), Faridah Nambi; Democratic Party (DP), Henry Kasacca; Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Sadat Mukiibi, alias Aganaga and People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Ismail Musiitwa.
Independents: Hanifah Karadi, Muhamood Mutazindwa, Muhammed Lusswa Luwemba, Moses Nsereko, and Henry Stanley Maitum, son of former President Milton Obote
However, since the campaigns began, security forces—including the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATF), Uganda Police Force, and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF)—have reportedly assaulted opposition politicians, leaving several injured.
JATF’s primary mandate is to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a militant group operating in northern Uganda, which the U.S. government designated as a terrorist organization in 2001.
According to a post on the Electoral Commission’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, the meeting focused on ensuring security and lawful conduct during the by-election campaigns for the Kawempe North Member of Parliament and Kazo-Angola Councillor.
“The meeting at the EC headquarters on 7th Street, Industrial Area, focused on ensuring that all actors follow the law and guidelines issued by the Commission, avoid acts of violent confrontations, and exercise maximum restraint to ensure that the people of Kawempe choose their representatives in peace and security,” the EC stated.
