2026 polls: EOC tasks police on violence-free elections

Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has asked Uganda Police Force to put in place all the necessary measures to have violent free elections come ahead of the 2026 polls which many fear will likely be marred with violence.
Speaking to journalists in Kampala after a meeting with top police officials, the EOC chairperson, Safia Nalule Juuko said that the previous elections have been distressing with several sticky issues which need to be resolved by police before the 2026 general election.
“One of the main challenge is lack of impartiality and fairness during elections by the police. They should be neutral and fair to all political players in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and Police Act,” she said

Ms Nalule added that 48-hour detention rule has also often been violated with police holding suspects in police cells beyond the minimum required 48 hours. According to her, it makes people lose confidence in the government.

“The commission has received complaints and allegations of torture, detention without trial of political activists, journalists and supporters and keeping suspects in police custody beyond the 48 hours resulting into unequal political environment,” she said.

She added that during elections Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) are neglected and not supported to exercise their rights to vote, citing lack of sign language interpreters deployed at different polling stations, as an example.

“There is need to work alongside the Electoral Commission to provide assisted voting services for elderly persons, pregnant mothers, PWDs and those with health challenges. Priority lines should be created to facilitate easier voting for these groups,” she said.

 Ms Nalule also urged police to protect the freedom of association of Ugandans in line with the Constitution because electoral violence hampers the ability of the citizen to exercise their rights to vote.

 However, police’s director of operations, Mr Frank Mwesigwa said they were working on the Standard Operating Procedures to regulate 2026 polls.

“We want to make sure that as we move towards election period we do our work professionally but also appeal to other political actors to make sure they perform their responsibilities in a lawful manner,” he said.
According to him, Uganda cannot have democracy without security and as the law enforcement arm of the state, their role in election period is to make sure they do their best to work with political actors and keep guiding them on the different rules that are expected to be followed.

“We want to assure our people that Uganda Police Force and other security agencies are really committed that this electoral period will be conducted in a very peaceful manner and we urge those who are intending to cause trouble not to even think about it,” he said.

According to Mr Mwesigwa, the force is in process of putting in place mechanisms to ensure that they provide a free and fair environment from the start of the electoral process, to the end.

When this reported contacted the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mr Joel Sennyonyi for a comment, he said the military should stop being used in election, like it has been in all the polls held previously.
“Military needs to leave election processes if we are to have violent-free elections because it also affects the turn up of voters,” he said.
Mr Ssenyonyi added that opposition parties should be left to carry on with their mobilization activities freely since it’s their right.

“Each time opposition parties try to hold mobilization activities police come in and interfere and yet the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) activities are going on uninterrupted. The elections are not the day of voting but it’s a process which begins with consultations and campaigns, but some people want to focus on just the Election Day which is not right,” he said.

The Kampala Lord Mayor who acts the interim president of yet to be registered party, People’s Front for Freedom( PFF), Mr Erias Lukwago said that there is no way Uganda can have violent-free elections when the police is not in charge.  
“Currently, the electoral processes are manned by the military. The Commission is giving the right instructions to the wrong party because the police is no longer involved in electoral processes. EOC should find a way of how to call [the Chief of Defence Forces] Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and [his father] President Museveni to order because the stage is already set for violent elections,” he said.

Citing the Constitution, Mr Lukwago said the military has no business in election under Article 209.

“The function of maintaining law and order is vested in police, and EOC is little too late,” he said.

According to the Democratic Party (DP) spokesperson, Okoler Opio there is need to have free, fair and levelled ground for all political actors, arguing that currently, opposition parties are disrupted by police while holding their consultative meetings which is not fair in a multi-party dispensation.

“Currently NRM is holding rallies and processions freely and the same latitude should be extended to the opposition parties to have them also in the particular area,” he said.
He said they expect police to operate with utmost level of impartiality when they are dealing with political candidates during the upcoming elections.