UPDF closely watching developments in NUP—Col Magezi

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Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) acting spokesperson Col. Chris Magezi says they are watching the developments in the National Unity Platform (NUP) party very closely and will not hesitate to take appropriate decisive countermeasures.

He said on Tuesday (March 18) via his social media platform account X that NUP has in the recent past adopted an increasingly militant and aggressive posture.

“The leaders and supporters are engaging in highly divisive hate speech and incitement to violence. This approach is reckless and misguided adventurism, and the party would be well served to abandon that incendiary path,” Magezi said.

He noted that the Great Lakes is one of the most volatile regions in the world, with hundreds of armed, violent pseudo-political organisations clamouring for power and influence.

Magezi also noted that Uganda acts as a key frontline state to keep many of these violent groups at bay, some of which are terrorist in nature.

“As one of the most experienced and vigilant counter insurgency forces in the world, the UPDF and sister security services are watching the NUP development very closely, and will not hesitate to take decisive countermeasures as appropriate,” he said.

“We strongly recommend that legitimate grievances against the state are addressed through the relevant authorities, such as the courts of law, among others,” he added.

This comes barely a week after the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election, which was hotly fought and held amid tight security.

NUP candidate Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola won a landslide victory in that byelection, beating his closest rival, Hajjat Faridah Nambi of the ruling party by 9,178 votes.

However, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party rejected the results over allegations of ballot-stuffing, altering results and destroying ballot boxes at Kazo-Angola and Mbogo Mosque zone polling stations.

“I can’t rule out the possibility that NUP was the cause of the Kawempe North byelection violence. In the run-up to the election, they were behaving like a paramilitary operation. If our legal team finds evidence which is tangible enough, we shall go to court. Right now, we are gathering evidence,” NRM secretary general Richard Todwong said on Monday, March 17.

The race had 10 contenders spanning the political spectrum.