Kampala, Uganda – The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has issued a strong statement condemning the violent dispersal of the National Unity Platform (NUP) campaign team in Gulu over the weekend.
According to the statement signed by ULS Vice President Asiimwe Anthony, the Society expressed “grave concern and outrage” over what it described as a brutal crackdown by security agencies targeting supporters of Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
The ULS described the beating and harassment of civilians as a blatant violation of constitutional freedoms, including the right to assemble, campaign, and participate in political activity.
“This attack is not an isolated incident,” the statement reads. ULS cited previous abuses, including violent arrests in Kawempe two weeks earlier and a similar incident in Mbarara a month ago where multiple NUP supporters were “rounded up, battered, and detained.”
ULS revealed that its pro bono legal team has managed to secure bail for 20 of the victims, though others remain in custody.
The organization decried what it called a “recurring cycle of violence, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation,” noting that the pattern appears to disproportionately target one specific presidential candidate and his supporters. The Society questioned why other candidates are able to campaign freely without interference, warning that such double standards undermine both electoral laws and constitutional protections.
ULS urgently appealed to all relevant authorities—particularly security agencies—to halt all forms of harassment and violence against campaign teams. It also called on the Electoral Commission to take immediate control of the electoral process by monitoring campaign events across the country and ensuring neutrality and fairness ahead of the 2026 elections.
“If Uganda is to have just and credible elections in 2026, this culture of brutality and impunity must cease immediately,” the statement emphasized.
The Uganda Law Society pledged to continue monitoring the situation and offering free legal assistance to citizens facing rights violations during the campaign period.
