A recent government reminder on the proper use and handling of the Ugandan national flag has sparked heated debate, highlighting tensions over national symbols ahead of the 2026 elections.
Commissioner Hellen Seku, of the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corp (NSPC) under the State House and also Private Secretary to the President on Youth Affairs, issued a series of directives on social media detailing correct flag etiquette.
According to Commissioner Seku, the flag must be hoisted at 8:00 AM and lowered at 6:00 PM, treated with utmost respect, flown higher than other flags, and observed with silence during hoisting or lowering.
She emphasised that the flag should not be used for commercial purposes, designed into clothing or household items, or left exposed to rain or overnight. State occasions, such as funerals for high officials, are exceptions where the flag may be used ceremonially.
“The Uganda Flag deserves utmost respect: it must be saluted before it is hung, it shouldn’t be exposed to rain, left outside overnight, or displayed improperly,” Seku tweeted on December 27. She added that stakeholders would receive guidance on proper flag etiquette ahead of a major public engagement.
The reminders came amid a surge in Ugandans—particularly supporters of opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine—displaying the flag on cars, homes, rallies, and public events. These displays have been seen by some as acts of patriotism and symbolic resistance ahead of the 2026 elections.
Government officials and ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters have accused these displays of misusing the flag under the National Flag and Armorial Ensigns Act. They argue that exposing flags to rain, wearing them casually, or using them as political props violates established protocols.
Critics, however, point to what they see as double standards, noting that NRM supporters often modify flags with President Museveni’s image or display them freely at sports events and rallies without objection.
Opposition figures argue that the government’s warnings over flag displays infringe on citizens’ rights to national pride, citing incidents where police allegedly harassed or arrested individuals carrying flags.
Analysts say the debate over flag etiquette underscores Uganda’s deepening political polarisation, with national symbols increasingly contested between partisan interests and broader claims of patriotism.
