NUP, Veteran Journalist Sagara Decry Electoral Commission and Military Over Nomination Rejections and Flag Crackdown

Kampala, Uganda — Opposition leaders and senior journalist Harry Sagara have renewed sharp criticism of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), accusing state institutions of partisan conduct as the country edges closer to the 2026 general elections.

Kyagulanyi Accuses EC of Targeted Nomination Denials

National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has castigated the Electoral Commission, led by Justice Simon Byabakama, over what he described as the continued and deliberate “denomination” of NUP parliamentary candidates from the race.

Kyagulanyi’s remarks followed the EC’s decision to disqualify NUP’s Buyanja County aspirant, Ategeka Christopher, who is challenging long-serving Finance Minister Matia Kasaija. According to Kyagulanyi, Ategeka had faced sustained pressure to withdraw from the contest, including alleged cash inducements of up to Shs300 million, which he reportedly rejected.

“You have refused the money, but the money will work on you,” Kyagulanyi quoted unnamed actors as having warned the candidate.

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Buyanja Case Raises Questions Over Due Process

The EC’s ruling has drawn particular scrutiny because, according to accounts from the NUP leadership, the nomination dispute centered on alleged irregularities involving three signatories on Ategeka’s nomination forms.

Kyagulanyi stated that when summoned for a hearing, Ategeka appeared alongside the three individuals in question, who reportedly confirmed that they had indeed signed his forms and reproduced similar signatures before the Commission’s chairperson. The NUP leader said Ategeka left the hearing convinced there was no substantive case against him, only to later receive notice of his disqualification.

Describing the outcome as politically motivated, Kyagulanyi said the decision had shocked supporters in Buyanja County, where the candidate is said to have mounted a strong grassroots campaign.

Opposition Calls for Electoral Vigilance

Rather than urging resignation, Kyagulanyi framed the EC’s actions as a rallying point for wider civic mobilisation.

“Instead of just getting frustrated with Byabakama’s actions, let this impunity fuel righteous anger in all of us to bring about democracy in Uganda,” he said, adding that the country could “restore sanity” within weeks.

The remarks were accompanied by renewed calls for a protest vote, as opposition groups continue to warn of shrinking political space.

Journalist Harry Sagara Condemns Flag Crackdown

In a parallel controversy, veteran journalist Harry Sagara has condemned recent remarks attributed to the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), which appeared to justify military personnel confronting and assaulting civilians carrying Uganda’s national flag.

Sagara’s criticism followed reports of citizens being beaten, chased, or having flags confiscated while attending political gatherings. The CDF had cited provisions restricting the use of the national flag for “business, trade or product packaging without authorisation.”

However, Sagara argues that the National Flag and Armorial Ensigns Act (Cap. 254) criminalises the desecration or unauthorised commercial branding of the flag—not its display during lawful political expression.

“A Law Twisted to Silence Expression”

According to Sagara, equating the purchase or carrying of a national flag with commercial misuse is a distortion of the law, one that has enabled abuses by security forces.

“Soldiers are not defending the flag; they are enforcing fear,” he said, adding that the flag belongs to all Ugandans, regardless of political affiliation.

He warned that when the state weaponises national symbols to suppress dissent, it is the symbol itself that is dishonoured.

Broader Concerns Over Civil Liberties

The twin controversies—over opposition nominations and the treatment of citizens displaying national symbols—have intensified debate about the neutrality of state institutions ahead of the polls. Critics argue that the actions signal an erosion of constitutional freedoms, including political participation and peaceful expression.

As of publication, neither the Electoral Commission nor the UPDF leadership had issued a detailed response to the specific allegations raised by Kyagulanyi and Sagara.

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