KIRUHURA . Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ,who was declared winner of last Thursday polls has defended the killing of suspected attackers, the continued detention of opposition figures, and the arrest of a Catholic priest.
According to Mr Museveni, who is yet to extend his rule to 45 years the firm security action unleashed on citizens prevented Uganda from descending into instability.
Delivering his victory speech on January 18 at his country home in Rwakitura Western Uganda , Museveni ,who has ruled Uganda since January 1986 ,accused sections of the opposition of planning violent attacks on polling stations following electoral defeats, describing the actions as coordinated efforts to destabilize the country.
He claimed opposition-linked gangs had planned to attack polling stations in areas where National Unity Platform (NUP) candidates were defeated, citing violence in Butambala District.
Museveni said that after the defeat of incumbent Butambala County legislator Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, who belongs to NUP, attackers armed with pangas attempted to strike, and seven of them were shot dead by security forces.
Kivumbi was defeated in the hotly contested seat by former journalist-turned-politician Eriasa Mukiibi.
Museveni revealed that security agencies had prior intelligence indicating that attacks similar to those in Butambala were planned elsewhere, but the situation was defused after some opposition members declined to participate and instead reported the plans to Museveni on January 13.
“Those who came to [State Lodge] Nakasero on January 13 told me that was the plan. What these people were planning is what happened in Butambala with Kivumbi. They were planning to do it all over… of course we were ready to deal with them decisively,” he told a gathering of dozens of senior NRM and top religious leaders in Kiruhura District.
In an on-scene video shared on microblogging app X (formerly Twitter), the outgoing legislator showed garage doors at what he described as his “premises” riddled with gunshots and windows shattered by bullets, saying nearly 10 of his supporters were killed.
“Out of panic, they carried away bodies to justify their rhetoric that they had killed them away from here,” he said on Saturday.
But on Sunday, Museveni rang out warnings saying: “So, all the traitors…This is free advice from me that stop what you’re doing because we know everything and you will not do it. Either peacefully or unpeacefully, we shall maintain peace in Uganda.”
‘Wrong opposition, terrorist opposition’
In his Sunday address, Museveni distinguished between different groups within the opposition, saying some were merely wrong while others qualified as terrorists, and accused a small group of “traitors” of working with foreigners and other external actors.
He again emphasized that some of these actors were linked to foreign groups, including homosexual organizations, and were seeking to manipulate Uganda’s political process.
The president also indicated that the arrest of Masaka Catholic priest Rev Fr Deusdedit Ssekabira in early December 2025 came after the cleric was involved with opposition NUP party leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine).
According to Museveni, religious leaders had appealed for the priest’s release, but he declined, adding that release would only be possible if those involved told the truth and stopped their activities.
“Some of the opposition are wrong but not terrorists. Some are wrong but terrorists. The other day, when I had a meeting with the Interreligious Council, I told them if they can find a way with these misled people so that we don’t have to use a strong arm on them, it would be better,” Museveni said.
He added: “… but they are working with some foreigners, homosexual groups. When I met [Masaka] Bishop Jjumba here a few days ago, we had arrested a priest in Masaka because he was involved with those of Kyagulanyi. They wanted me to release him, but I said no. We can’t release him. We can release him if they tell the truth and stop, because our interest is not to punish but that they stop and never do it again.”
The priest was initially reported missing before the army later confirmed he was in custody over allegations of subversion. He was arraigned in court more than two weeks after his disappearance, and charged with money laundering on December 23, 2026 before he was remanded.
In his January 1 New Year address, opposition leader Bobi Wine, who has strongly rejected Thursday’s election, reacted to Museveni’s end-of-2025 address accusing NUP of working for foreigners to destabilize the country, saying: “I don’t look at Gen Museveni with anger. I look at him with pity.”
He added: “By his age, he is being fed fake intelligence.”
Past incidents
Museveni’s remarks come amid renewed scrutiny of Uganda’s use of prolonged pre-trial detention against government critics.
Veteran opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye, who has unsuccessfully challenged Museveni in four elections, remains in detention more than 345 days after his rendition from Nairobi, facing treason-related charges without trial.
In the previous election cycle, ex-Kawempe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya and fellow legislator Allan Ssewanyana were detained for more than 500 days on murder and terrorism charges linked to killings in the Masaka sub-region.
Ssegirinya later died, after which the state dropped charges against him in March 2025. Ssewanyana has since lost his parliamentary seat following the January 15 election.
Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine who was Museveni’s main opponent in the Thursday polls , has since rejected the election outcome, accusing authorities of repression.
New term
Uganda’s Electoral Commission declared Museveni winner of the January 15 election with 71.65 percent of the vote, extending his rule to nearly 40 years amid allegations of irregularities, biometric failures and an internet blackout. His new term starts in May 2026, if results declared on Saturday hold.