According to Lulume Bayiga, the Executive Chairperson of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party, since November 2020, and continuing throughout the 2026 electoral cycle, the JDP has recorded an ongoing pattern of state-linked abductions where some security agents in plain clothes or military attire, driving unmarked minibuses, have seized opposition supporters, campaign organizers, polling agents, and civic activists from streets and homes.
Their appearance on football's biggest stage came after weeks of uncertainty. Ebola-related travel restrictions affecting travellers from Uganda had initially cast doubt over whether the troupe would be able to travel to the United States. However, the concerns were eventually resolved, allowing the children to make the journey and complete rehearsals in time for the show.