Several police officers who were assigned to provide security to opposition leader Bobi Wine real name Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu during the 2026 presidential campaigns have reportedly been arrested.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the officers drawn from the Uganda Police Force Counter-Terrorism Directorate were detained earlier this week and taken to Railway Police Station.
The officers were part of the official security team assigned to the National Unity Platform presidential candidate.
Sources claim they are facing accusations of disobeying lawful orders and abandoning duty without authorization, although the exact circumstances surrounding the alleged offenses remain unclear.
By the time of publication, the Uganda Police Force had not issued an official statement regarding the arrests. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke could not immediately be reached for comment.
Reacting to the reports via his socials , Kyagulanyi who says he is currently in hiding confirmed he had been informed about the arrests and criticized the move.
“These officers are often targeted despite carrying out their duties professionally and patriotically,” he said in a message shared on social media.
He further revealed that similar incidents have happened before, including during the 2021 Ugandan general election, when officers assigned to his security detail were allegedly questioned by authorities.
Kyagulanyi also alleged that in previous cases, some officers were interrogated about his campaign activities including sources of funding, political meetings, and future plans.
He claimed investigators even asked why the officers sometimes intervened to shield his team from attacks by other security personnel during tense campaign moments.
During the presidential nomination process organized by the Electoral Commission of Uganda, every presidential candidate including incumbent Yoweri Museveni was assigned an official security team.
Each candidate received 16 officers from the Police Counter-Terrorism Directorate tasked with providing protection throughout the campaign period. Their allowances were expected to be paid by the Electoral Commission.
However, earlier reports indicated that some officers and drivers attached to the candidates’ security teams had raised concerns about delayed payment of their allowances.
Authorities have yet to publicly clarify the reasons behind the arrests, leaving many questions about what exactly triggered the detention of officers assigned to protect one of the country’s most prominent opposition figures.
More details are expected as the situation continues to unfold.
