UPDF Warns Bobi Wine Against confronting security forces

KAMPALA; Uganda’s security establishment has issued a stern warning against what it calls incendiary and divisive rhetoric by the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, cautioning that such utterances risk triggering political violence ahead of the 2026 general elections.

In a strongly worded statement, Colonel Chris Magezi, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA)/UPDF, expressed concern over the candidate’s repeated calls for supporters to “mob polling stations” on Election Day and march to Kampala thereafter.

According to the security assessment, the opposition leader has also urged his supporters to prepare to “confront security forces,” arguing that the police and UPDF would be outnumbered. Col. Magezi described this message as “ill-advised, toxic, shallow in logic, and dangerous.”

Colonel Magezi emphasized that mobilizing crowds to challenge security personnel is not only unlawful but could plunge the country into unnecessary violence.

“In the worst-case scenario, those who incite violence and promote anarchy by misleading young Ugandans into violent confrontations will not escape the consequences,” he warned, noting that such confrontational politics ultimately leads to a “zero-sum game with no winners.”

He referenced conflicts across the region as evidence of the dangerous outcomes of political miscalculations and armed confrontation, urging leaders to learn from contemporary crises rather than push the country toward instability.

UPDF Says It Is Fully Capable of Handling Any Threat

Reaffirming the strength and professionalism of Uganda’s military, Col. Magezi said the UPDF remains “highly capable, organized, proficient and lethal.”

“There is no threat we cannot deal with, and it will be very bad news for those who do not heed the warnings,” he added.

He advised critics of the army’s capacity to “consult” militant groups that the UPDF has previously subdued or degraded including al-Shabaab in Somalia, the ADF and CODECO in the DRC, and remnants of the LRA in the Central African Republic.

The statement also highlighted Uganda’s long and painful history with political violence and armed rebellions, warning against any attempts to revive the spirit of past cult-like mobilizations such as Alice Lakwena’s Holy Spirit Movement or the Kirumira Mutima groups in the Rwenzori region.

“These modern-day adventurists who confuse young people with reckless misadventures have no place in Uganda’s progress and transformational journey,” Col. Magezi asserted.

The UPDF spokesperson appealed to all political actors to pursue their electoral ambitions within the law and abide by the Electoral Commission’s guidelines.
“We urge all leaders to look for votes peacefully and in accordance with the laws of Uganda,” he said.

The warning comes as the country enters a heated phase of the 2026 campaign season, with security agencies pledging to ensure a peaceful electoral process while cautioning against any actions that could destabilize national security.