National Unity Platform party President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has accused the Ugandan government and the Electoral Commission (EC) of orchestrating conditions for election malpractice ahead of the 2026 polls, warning that EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama must resign if he can not guarantee a free and fair process.

Speaking to journalists before traveling to Kayunga on Thursday,27th November, 2025, Kyagulanyi alleged that security agencies are coordinating a plan to trigger unrest and impose a curfew, comparing the alleged scheme to the November 2020 violence in which dozens of people were killed.

He claimed that NUP has credible information suggesting that chaos is being manufactured as a pretext for violent repression against Opposition supporters.

Kyagulanyi criticized Justice Byabakama for instructing voters especially Opposition supporters to leave polling stations immediately after casting their ballots, a directive NUP interprets as an attempt to undermine independent citizen monitoring.

“If Byabakama is truly in charge of this election, he should act accordingly. Instead, he is discouraging citizens from protecting their vote without citing any legal provision,” Kyagulanyi said.

He defended NUP’s Active Citizens’ Participation strategy, referring to Section 31(4) of the Presidential Elections Act, which permits voters to observe tallying from within 30 meters.

The NUP party President argued that the EC’s position, and its silence on abuses targeting our supporters, demonstrates clear bias.

“It is either fairness, or you resign,” he told the EC Chairperson.

According to NUP, more than 400 supporters have been arrested in recent weeks, with incidents involving tear gas, water cannons, pepper spray, and, in one case, police dogs unleashed on crowds in Kawempe.

Kyagulanyi said these events signal an ongoing crackdown meant to tilt the election.

He added that the matter has been escalated to international bodies, urging the global community to pay attention to what he describes as a rigging plot already in motion.

Authorities had yet to respond to the claims by the time of publication.