The Uganda people’s congress party (UPC) spokesperson, Arach Sharon Oyat, has asked the electoral commission to remove the Uganda peoples defense forces army and other affiliated agencies from the election processes ahead of the 2026 general election.

While addressing members of the press at the party headquarters at Uganda house in Kampala on March, 19, 2025, Arach said that from the recent events in Kawempe by elections and other by elections held before, the military should not be involved in any coming elections.

“UPC emphasizes its call that the army should be completely removed from our electoral processes and only maintain police whose main role is to keep law and order, with specified clear roles in elections under the control of Independent Electoral Commission,” Arach said.

Arach further noted that the lessons from the Kawempe North by election incidents show what is likely to happen in the 2026 elections, but however notes that no matter the amount of violence, it may not change the will of the people.

“The events of the Kawempe North by-election on March 13, 2025, serve as a warning for the 2026 elections, and such actions must be strongly discouraged. The hard and bitter lessons learned from the Kawempe election show that no amount of force can alter the resolve of a determined voter. The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) clearly observes that this troubling trend is beginning to spread and gain momentum,” Arach added.

The UPC party head of media and communication, Muzeyi Faizo, called all stake holders to maintain peace and play their respective roles peaceful having in mind that Uganda is a multi-party country and democracy must prevail.

“We call upon all stakeholders to stick to only democratic and peaceful means of conducting our political activities, while considering that Uganda is a multi-party country. Therefore, no one should interfere with electoral processes as we prepare for 2025/2026,” Muzeyi said.

UPC’s call for the exclusion of military from the electoral processes comes after men in military attire were seen on video brutalizing NUP party supporters, aspirants and journalists in the just concluded Kawempe north by-election held on March, 13, 2025, which NUP’s Erias Nalukoola Luyimbazi won.

According to the results announced by the Kampala District Returning Officer, Makabayi Henry, Luyimbazi secured 17,764 votes, defeating NRM’s Faridah Nambi, who gathered 8,593 votes.