KAMPALA – A recent appointment by the Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, has sent shockwaves through the opposition, particularly the National Unity Platform (NUP), reigniting memories of the violent 2021 election campaign period.
The cause for concern is the appointment of Commissioner of Police Enock Abaine as the overall commander of the Election Planning and Monitoring Centre. CP Abaine will be responsible for overseeing election planning and monitoring through field forces deployed across nine zones.
This appointment is particularly sensitive due to Abaine’s previous role as the Masaka Regional Police Commander (RPC) during the highly charged 2021 general elections. He earned a reputation as a fearless and controversial commander for his handling of police operations in the Greater Masaka region during the presidential campaigns.
At that time, CP Abaine was widely accused by opposition groups and human rights monitors of overseeing violent crackdowns on journalists and supporters of the National Unity Platform. His forces were implicated in acts of brutality against media personnel covering the campaign activities of NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
A specific and harrowing incident that remains etched in the memory of NUP supporters is the shooting of journalist Ashraf Kasirye. Kasirye sustained permanent head injuries after being hit by a rubber bullet fired by security forces under Abaine’s command during a campaign event. The same operations are remembered for an incident where Bobi Wine narrowly escaped serious harm, with his supporters claiming it was an attempt on his life.
For many in the opposition, CP Abaine’s return to a central role in election security is seen as a provocative move. It has raised fears of a repeat of the heavy-handed tactics that characterized the previous election cycle, casting a shadow over the upcoming electoral process and deepening existing mistrust between the opposition and the state security apparatus.
