By Mulengera Reporters
As Uganda begins its long electoral journey toward the 2026 General Elections, Internal Affairs Minister Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire has issued a stern warning to young people across the country, cautioning them against using the campaign season as a license for violence and destruction.
The warning comes amid the peaceful rollout of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) 2025/2026 roadmap, which commenced this week with polling for Village Older Persons Committees, the first in a series of Special Interest Group (SIG) elections stretching from June to August this year.
While the EC has so far been praised for its calm and orderly execution of these grassroots elections, Otafiire’s remarks reflect growing government concern about the potential for chaos as the political tempo increases.
“Some youth think elections are a season for lawlessness. They burn tires, block roads, and destroy public infrastructure. But let them know: such actions will provoke force, and force has consequences,” he said.
His statement appears to be both a warning and a preventative reminder, as Uganda braces for campaign activity from village meetings to high-stakes parliamentary and presidential races. He underscored that law enforcement agencies will be on high alert throughout the entire election period to preserve order.
“We are not going to tolerate disorder this time,” Otafiire said adding that government cannot build democracy on ashes and broken pavements.
The Commission, for its part, continues to stress its impartiality and preparedness. With the June 16th polls for the older persons’ committees successfully conducted in over 70,000 villages nationwide, EC officials have now shifted focus to the next SIG category: Village Committees for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), slated for tomorrow, June 19th.
As Uganda’s electoral train slowly gathers steam, starting at the grassroots, through Special Interest Group structures, and culminating in national votes, the EC appears to be doing its part quietly but effectively.
What remains to be seen is whether security forces and the political class will let the process unfold peacefully without provoking the very instability they claim to fear. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
