2026 polls: Activists engage security agencies for peaceful elections

Activists under their umbrella of Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL) have engaged different security agencies to draw a roadmap on how to conduct peaceful elections come 2026.

Speaking to the media during the engagement meeting in Kampala on June 27, Mr James Nkuubi, the Executive Director of NEPTIL said that the main objective of the meeting was to create a platform to discuss the role security agencies played in the previous general elections and how civilian oversight of security can be promoted.

“We want to document and discuss lessons learnt from the previous elections as far as civilians oversight of security agencies is concerned and how this could be enhanced as Uganda prepares for the coming 2026 general elections,” he said.

 Mr Nkuubi added that activists believe that civilian matters during the elections should be handled by civilians not military take over of police.

“The police which is the mother institution when it comes to civilian law and order on internal matters including elections should remain with main full responsible to provide security of polls,” he said.

He added that for a better electoral process in Uganda, security must be managed by the rightful entities responsible for it.

“Electoral Commission must remain with full power, oversight and control of how processes are going to be run in terms of security,” he said.  

He also added that in circumstance when UPDF is deployed, police must be the one to request and determine those circumstances not military.

The deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Col. Deo Akiiki said security teams normally coordinate with EC during elections and they have already in the process of engaging experts who will train people to be involved in election process.

“We usually have the Joint Operations Centre ( JOC) where we all meet as representatives of security agencies selected to participate in electoral process and we undergo trainings,” he said.

He added that training is the first part in preparing security agencies ahead of the electoral process. 

“We have been given an opportunity to have somebody representing the army at the electoral body like the area zonal officer who keeps on updating us on whatever is going on,” he said.

The Electoral Commission commissioner, Stephen Tashobya said the electoral commission works together with security agencies.

“We cannot have elections without security because elections by their nature are about contesting for power, and we have groups of people approaching elections with different ideas. There are those who comply and others reject that’s where security comes in,” he said.

 Mr Tashobya added that elections are held in accordance with the law and security must be deployed to have free and fair results. The law states that people participating in elections should operate in a secure environment.

“Each  security stakeholder has roles and responsibilities as stated in the law  but the  challenge we have is that the nature and power of elections. We need to have power because some people come with intention to override the law,” he said.

The Assistant Commissioner of police Anatoli Mulelwa said that in preparation for the upcoming elections they are developing standard operation procedures which are pocket handbook for their police officers to remind them for what they are supposed to do during elections.

“In 2025 we all need to be prepared and the first phase is to identify who is who at the end of the day then EC invited candidates to contest. Here security comes in to make sure every Ugandans is safe and secure,” he said

He added that constitutional provisions are very clear and also indicated that naturally a man must cooperate with another and security agencies should also be respected while on duty.

According to NEPTIL the country‘s history is characterised by political turmoil, human rights violation and serious rule of law deficits.

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