The Ugandan military finally said sorry for how badly their soldiers acted during the recent Kawempe North parliament vote. They apologized after many people across Uganda became angry, plus lots of international groups complained about the violence. Soldiers had beaten regular citizens, reporters, and people who supported opposition candidates. Many believed the military did this to scare voters away because Kawempe North typically votes against the current government.
Lieutenant General Samuel Okiding apologized when he talked to Parliament's Defence Committee on Thursday. He called what happened "operational mistakes" and said beating people goes against military rules. He claimed some soldiers just lost control when people provoked them, but admitted their reactions went way overboard. Okiding told the committee they arrested several soldiers who participated in the violence and started investigating them.
The military faced heavy criticism after videos spread on social media showing uniformed officers beating people where everyone could see. Both Ugandan and international human rights groups spoke out against what they saw. Opposition leaders demanded more than just words - they want real consequences and changes to how security forces behave during elections. The ruling National Resistance Movement party lost badly in the election despite the military presence.
Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo even criticized his party for how they handled everything. He wrote that seeing heavily armed officers should horrify all Ugandans. Opondo suggested the party should accept their loss instead of complaining about it. He warned that the ruling party faces serious problems with city voters who feel frustrated with the government. The Kawempe North position became empty after opposition MP Muhammad Ssegirinya died. Many Ugandans want proof that the military will keep its promise to punish those responsible as the country heads toward national elections in 2026.
Lieutenant General Samuel Okiding apologized when he talked to Parliament's Defence Committee on Thursday. He called what happened "operational mistakes" and said beating people goes against military rules. He claimed some soldiers just lost control when people provoked them, but admitted their reactions went way overboard. Okiding told the committee they arrested several soldiers who participated in the violence and started investigating them.
The military faced heavy criticism after videos spread on social media showing uniformed officers beating people where everyone could see. Both Ugandan and international human rights groups spoke out against what they saw. Opposition leaders demanded more than just words - they want real consequences and changes to how security forces behave during elections. The ruling National Resistance Movement party lost badly in the election despite the military presence.
Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo even criticized his party for how they handled everything. He wrote that seeing heavily armed officers should horrify all Ugandans. Opondo suggested the party should accept their loss instead of complaining about it. He warned that the ruling party faces serious problems with city voters who feel frustrated with the government. The Kawempe North position became empty after opposition MP Muhammad Ssegirinya died. Many Ugandans want proof that the military will keep its promise to punish those responsible as the country heads toward national elections in 2026.
