The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba has appointed nine senior police officers to oversee security zones across Uganda ahead of the contentious National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries and the 2026 general elections.
The appointments come in response to a surge of violence that marred the early stages of the NRM primaries, particularly in Lwemiyaga-Sembabule where one person was shot dead by suspected military personnel during the campaign launch of incumbent MP Theodore Ssekikubo.
Similar incidents were recorded in Kasambya (Mubende) and Isingiro districts, prompting Byakagaba to tour the flashpoints to assess the situation firsthand. According to the police, the newly designated commanders will be responsible for coordinating election-related security operations and ensuring swift responses to any electoral violence or disruptions across their respective zones.
The appointments are as follows:
- Moses Kafeero will command the Busoga Zone, headquartered in Jinja, covering the Busoga North, Busoga East, Kiira, and Sezibwa policing regions.
- Stephen Tanui will lead the Northern Zone from Gulu, overseeing Aswa West, Aswa East, West Nile, and North West Nile.
- Patrick Lawoti takes charge of the Karamoja Zone, based in Moroto, encompassing Mt. Moroto, Kidepo, Elgon, Sipi, Bukedi South, and Bukedi North in Soroti.
- Paul Nkole will command the Kyoga Zone, which includes North, East, and South Kyoga regions.
- Godfrey Maate Bolingo will oversee the Central Zone from Masaka City, covering Masaka East, Wamala, and Katonga regions.
- Moses Muluya will lead the Albertine Zone from Hoima, covering Albertine South, Albertine North, and Savannah.
- Richard Ecega has been appointed to command the Kampala Metropolitan Zone, covering East, North, and South policing areas.
- Hillary Kulaigye will be in charge of the South Western Zone, spanning Rwizi, Kigezi, and Greater Bushenyi.
- Denis Namuhoza will oversee the Rwenzori Zone, headquartered in Fort Portal, covering Rwenzori East and West.
The creation of these security zones comes as part of the police’s early preparedness plan, with heightened vigilance expected in regions previously marked by political tension and violence.
The regional commanders are expected to not only supervise electoral policing but also engage local leaders and communities in maintaining calm during the electoral season.
That is what many of the Ganda fraternity continue to propose to the Kingdom state of Buganda not to continue to participate in such expensive, violent national elections. These elections do not meet the standards of international democratic processes. They are violent and brutal against human rights, they are rigged, and they are not free and fair. Gerrymandering is generally allowed to go unchecked and such electoral administrative mismanagement continue unabated. The NRM majority parliament because of political bias has refused to reform several election aspects the judiciary advised the sitting government to make before the next major national election. Much of all these electoral crimes the Uganda mandate is aware of, but this long serving government to continue to stay put in state power 40 years and counting, is bent on forcing or persuading the few mandate to participate in such fake national elections. Many citizens have given up their rights to vote because the government has failed to organise peaceful free and fair national elections for this poor African country!
Unfortunately there are many national and international institutions that continue to lend this African country lots of money with the hope that the people of this country will pay up. It is not possible for the people of this country to be over burdened with debts to pay when their ineligible rights to life are constantly being trampled on.
Of course it has got to be our eligible not ineligible human rights that are being trampled on by Africans that hold themselves to guns against others who do not. Humbly Corrected.