Kampala, Uganda | Chaos erupted at the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters in Makerere Kavule on Tuesday as security forces, comprising military and police personnel, stormed the premises, firing live bullets that left several party members injured and others arrested.
No official explanation has been provided for the raid, which has sparked outrage among opposition supporters.
NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, reported the incident on his X account, explaining that the military and police had raided the NUP headquarters and fired bullets, resulting in several comrades being injured and others arrested.
He emphasized that no explanation had been given for what he described as criminality by the security forces.
Party sources indicate the raid occurred shortly after Eng. Kaweesa, an aspiring candidate, picked nomination forms to vie for the NUP ticket in the Nansana Municipality parliamentary race.
Witnesses described a heavy security deployment, with operatives ordering everyone to vacate the area before discharging live rounds, causing panic and injuries.
The NUP, Uganda’s leading opposition party, has faced repeated clampdowns in recent months.
A similar raid on May 2, 2025, saw Special Forces Command (SFC) soldiers cordon off the headquarters following threats by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces.
That operation led to the abduction of Eddie Mutwe, Bobi Wine’s chief bodyguard, who later appeared in court bearing visible signs of torture.
NUP leaders condemned the latest raid as a deliberate attempt to intimidate the opposition ahead of the 2026 elections.
A senior party official, speaking to Dokolo Post on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, stated that the raid was a calculated move to disrupt the party’s preparations and silence the voice of the people.
Police authorities have not yet commented on the June 10 incident. However, a February 2025 raid on the same premises was justified by claims of intelligence reports alleging unauthorized military training, a charge NUP dismissed as fabricated.
The raid comes amid heightened political tensions, with Bobi Wine and his supporters facing ongoing harassment, arrests, and abductions.
In September 2024, Kyagulanyi was injured by a tear-gas canister in Bulindo, an incident the NUP labeled an assassination attempt.
As news of the raid spread, NUP supporters took to X to express solidarity, with many calling for international condemnation of the crackdown. One supporter expressed on X that the raid was an attack on democracy itself.
The situation remains tense, with no further details from security agencies on the motive behind the operation.
