By Mulengera Reporters
A group of MPs, led by Barnabas Tinkasimire, this Thursday afternoon thundered in interviews with members of the Parliament Press Corp. They were discussing and pronouncing themselves on the violence the security forces metted out at journalists covering Kawempe North by-elections.
Tinkasimire said that what was witnessed in Kawempe was indicative of the extent to which security forces of Uganda are planning to unleash unprecedented levels of violence during the 2026 campaigns and elections. The Buyaga County MP suggested that what happened in Kawempe will most likely be replicated in all the other electoral areas of Uganda including in Presidential, Parliamentary and LC5 Chairperson races.
He proposed that to save the country of the impending bloodshed for 2026, the Presidential Seat gets ring-fenced for the exclusive enjoyment of President YK Museveni for his remaining years on earth. Tinkasimire asserted that since he is an old man in the evening of his life, Gen Museveni doesn’t have many years left which is why Ugandans should allow him to rule without competition since he isn’t prepared dissent.
That he should be allowed to remain President without being subjected to elections since his supporters in the military seem to be very much afraid of seeing him lose an election even when it’s clear that his popular support has dwindled.
Saying that his young daughter is at medical school and shouldn’t be traumatized with having to watch bloody scenes on TV each time people are campaigning against the interests of Gen YK Museveni, Tinkasimire proposed that elections be halted so that for the remaining between 5 and 10 years, Gen Museveni just keeps governing the country without elections which inevitably are always going to be bloody and violently contested for as long as he remains President and politically active.
More can be seen in this YouTube video of the different MPs castigating members of the security forces for brutalising members of the 4th estate: https://youtu.be/-hXq6Ji_4Bw?si=2SUP9TTHLKF6Almi
Richard Sebamala, who defeated ex-VP Edward Sekandi to become Bukoto Central MP in 2021, said that political violence and bloodshed in the Kawempe vote was expected because NRM wanted a win even when it’s clearly unpopular.
He added: “But this crude violence against journalists is a red line which we never expected anyone to cross.” He wondered why journalists, who are supposed to be neutral arbiters in such an electoral processes, have had to be repeatedly targeted by security forces in Kawempe.
Kalangala Woman MP Hellen Nakimuli asserted that the idea behind the Kawempe violence was calculated to scare Ugandans in advance so that many of them fear for their lives and keep away from the 2026 general elections so that Gen Museveni and his NRM lieutenants can have a smooth ride as they cruise to victory in the 2026 general elections.
Watch “What did they do to you? Total fireworks as MPs ask why UPDF soldiers want to kill journalists” on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-hXq6Ji_4Bw?si=2SUP9TTHLKF6Almi
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