The Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have jointly underscored the need for peaceful conduct during the forthcoming elections, urging Ugandans to vote calmly and leave polling stations immediately after casting their ballots.
Attorney General Kiwanuka’s remarks followed questions raised by Members of Parliament over the legal basis of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s earlier warning barring voters from lingering around polling stations after voting. Kiwanuka clarified that maintaining order at polling centres is essential for national security and electoral credibility.
“After voting, people should go home. There is no need to hang around polling stations,” the Attorney General said, noting that congestion at polling centres could create unnecessary tension and disrupt the electoral process.
“Rt Hon Speaker and Honourable colleagues, I can say without fear of contradiction, that after voting, even you, the members of parliament, must not stay at the polling station.”
He was, however, quick to add that the Parliamentarians and the voters were allowed to stay 20 to 100 metres away from the polling station. “If you want, when you finish voting, you leave the polling station 20 metres, 100 metres, that’s perfectly fine, but not at the polling station,” he said.
Kiwanuka further reassured the MP’s that the UPDF hadn’t taken over the country’s electoral process. “Right Honourable Speaker, no, the military has not taken over the management of the election in Uganda. Election is managed by the Electoral Commission,” he said.
Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has repeatedly echoed the same message, stressing that security agencies will not tolerate disorder during the elections.
Speaking recently at a pipping ceremony for newly promoted generals and senior officers at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya, the CDF called on citizens to exercise discipline.
“We strongly urge all political actors during this electoral season to abide by Independent Electoral Commission guidelines and cooperate fully with security forces for the safety of all,” Gen. Kainerugaba said. “We appeal to citizens to cast their votes peacefully and go home, not hang around polling stations.”
He issued a firm warning to would-be disruptors: “Those who will try to cause trouble will be dealt with swiftly and decisively with all the tools at our disposal, and in accordance with the law.”
The CDF added that adequate oversight would be provided by polling agents, the media, and international observers to ensure a transparent and credible electoral process.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reinforced the same message while addressing campaign rallies across the country, including a recent one in Kyankwanzi District.
The President warned against treating elections casually, likening reckless political behaviour to playing games with the country’s stability.
“Elections are not football,” President Museveni said. “They are a serious matter because leadership choices determine whether a country remains peaceful or slides into chaos.”
He cautioned Ugandans against being mobilised into violence, reminding them of the country’s painful past. “In 1962, people made wrong political decisions, and we paid for them with blood and instability,” he said. “That is why elections must be handled carefully.”
President Museveni urged voters to participate peacefully and protect the gains achieved under the National Resistance Movement (NRM), particularly peace and stability.
“We struggled for peace so that Ugandans can vote without fear. Go and vote, then go home,” the President said, emphasising that security agencies exist to ensure order, not intimidation.
The coordinated messaging from the President, the Attorney General and the CDF comes as the country prepares for elections, with government officials insisting that the guidance is meant to safeguard peace, public order and the credibility of Uganda’s democratic process.
