The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has announced that in the upcoming 2026 general elections, the Special Forces Command (SFC) will exclusively be in charge of providing security to all presidential candidates.
"I have said it once and for all, ALL Presidential Candidates will be guarded ONLY by SFC! Any personal arrangements that do not concur with our standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be smashed immediately," Gen Muhoozi posted on X (formerly Twitter).
His declaration comes just months before a highly anticipated election season, which in the past has seen widespread military presence across the country.
In both the 2021 and 2016 elections, the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) were visibly deployed nationwide.
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Armored vehicles moved through major towns, while soldiers patrolled urban centers and rural areas alike.
These deployments have previously drawn criticism from opposition leaders and civil society groups, who argue that such military involvement creates an atmosphere of intimidation and undermines the democratic process.
Despite these concerns, security authorities have consistently defended the army's role during elections as a necessary step to maintain law and order.
The SFC, an elite wing of the UPDF formerly led by Gen Muhoozi, is primarily responsible for safeguarding top government officials, including the President.
Its new role in securing all presidential hopefuls would mark a notable change in Uganda's electoral security arrangements.
