Following the ‘peace and violence odds,’ analysis ahead of the 2026 general elections by security analyst Richard Byamukama which was published on 14th February 2025 by Nexus Media, indeed stakes are heightening amongst actors and the general populace as the election cycle gears up.

However, it is very unlikely that we as the country’s security managers will look on and fail to manage or prevail over peace during the election cycle. Dear Byamukama, your concern about the probability of having a non-violent election cycle should no longer be a worry. We have been through this, we have managed this before, and a peaceful election cycle is a guarantee.

The security as part of the election management apparatus in conjunction with the country’s Independent Electoral Commission has a constitutional obligation to ensure peace and stability anytime, and at every cost during the entire election cycle and throughout the post-election period.

I agree with you that Election Security issues have been one of the critical and challenging factors that faced the Electoral Commission in Uganda during the 2021 and most previous general elections. However, there is no difference between National Security and Election Security, the broader security management throughout the elections is always focused on averting every threat to national security and stability.

Internal and external actors always tend to use the election cycles to manipulate the country’s stability through overt acts such as funding or inciting violence and protests towards voting and after voting which makes peace very fragile. Malawi is the most recent example of the post-election violence in Africa where internal actors have excited and manipulated the population.

Using the available human resources and technology, the police together with its sister agencies shall ensure the general stability against any forms of violence and are committed to preside over every threat to peace and security with consideration of human rights standards since it has been a question in the previous elections. The police in partnership with the Independent Electoral Commission will also ensure the protection of each candidate from the presidential, parliamentary and local council elections, election observers (domestic and external), and the general population.

In addition, the Uganda police are set to recruit constables that will help the electoral commission to safe-guard every polling station and every ballot box. The rest of the policing means will remain as routine to ensure that any violations of law and order is apprehended.

Indeed, young people are often involved as perpetrators or victims of the violence as you earlier alluded to simply because they are often used as foot soldiers by politicians and armed groups that want to disrupt polling. This is so because the youth are vulnerable for political exploitation. Mr. Byamukama, have you seen the recent Para-military parade that was staged by the NUP at their party headquarters?

These young people were seen drifting in military drills, receiving matching orders on parades which were in properly organized regiments, with regiment commanders. The police and other sister security agencies are already aware of the planned moves to disrupt the election cycle, and also cause post-election chaos using these Para-militias and are very ready to avert these moves.

I therefore take this very opportunity to warn and to caution every planned evil against the peace during elections that it shall fail at the wrath of our security agencies. My last appeal goes to young people that they should not fall victims of manipulation by opportunists into violence or any form of disruptions of the peace process because we won’t spare any threat.

To my view, this is the beginning of the end to electoral violence in Uganda, and I assure everybody, Ugandans and well-wishers that a peaceful election is a guarantee. We shall do our best to ensure the substantiality of the election cycle is secured. FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

The writer is a Rtd. Veteran UPDF Officer