The Uganda Police Force has banned the planned launch of the “Youth Protest Vote” campaign organised by the National Unity Platform (NUP), which was scheduled to take place on Monday, April 28, 2025, at the party’s headquarters in Makerere Kavule.
In a press statement released on Sunday, April 27, 2025, police declared that the launch and any associated activities would not be permitted, warning individuals and groups against participating in or facilitating the event.
“The Uganda Police Force has come across an announcement regarding the planned launch of the youth protest vote, scheduled for Monday, 28 April 2025 at National Unity Platform Headquarters,” the statement released by Police Spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma read.
UPF hereby notifies the organisers and all concerned parties that the proposed launch, along with any associated activities, will not be permitted. All individuals and groups are formally cautioned against participating in or facilitating any engagements related to this launch,” police stated, adding that the decision was made in the interest of maintaining public order
Reacting to the police directive, the NUP President, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, strongly condemned the move, accusing the police of exhibiting political bias.
“The partisan regime police is moving to block our weekly press conference slated for tomorrow, at which we had planned to launch our mobilisation for the forthcoming youth elections,” Bobi Wine said in a brief statement via his official X account.
“We condemn and protest these double standards in the strongest terms possible and call upon all Ugandans to firmly resist them!” He added.
The “Youth Protest Vote” initiative, spearheaded by the NUP leader, aims to mobilise Uganda’s predominantly young population to vote against the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in the upcoming 2026 general elections.
According to the 2021 presidential candidate, the campaign is a response to widespread concerns over poor service delivery, corruption, and governance issues under President Yoweri Museveni’s administration, which has been in power since 1986.
Kyagulanyi has often described the campaign as a peaceful and lawful form of protest, encouraging citizens to express their dissatisfaction through the ballot box, asserting that massive voter turnout, especially among the youth, can counteract electoral manipulation and bring about meaningful change.
However, the campaign has elicited mixed reactions from political figures, with some legislators cautioning that the “protest vote” approach may be premature and potentially ineffective, advocating instead for strategies that address voters’ concerns with practical solutions
The move by police to block the campaign launch comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2026 general elections, as various political groups begin mobilization efforts across the country.
