The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has moved to quell rising political tension, categorically denying that joint military and police checkpoints set up across the Kampala Metropolitan area are intended to apprehend opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Colonel Chris Magezi, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, clarified that the snap checkpoints are part of a broader security operation focused strictly on road safety and crime prevention.
According to the statement, the UPDF Military Police Brigade, in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force, launched the operation effective Monday, 9 March 2026. Col. Magezi outlined the operation's objectives as "restoring sanity on Ugandan roads, ensuring full compliance with traffic regulations by ALL motorists, impounding unregistered or numberless vehicles, and curbing the illegal use of sirens."
The clarification comes amid heightened political temperatures and speculation on social media that the enhanced security presence was a move to restrict the movements of the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader.
"This is therefore to dismiss the insinuations from some quarters that the snap checkpoints mounted by the Military and Uganda Police traffic corps is an effort to apprehend NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine)," the statement read emphatically. "No one is looking for or interested in the NUP leader; the aim of the police forces is to restore discipline, total observance of traffic regulations, and curtail criminal activities by some motorists on the roads."
Col. Magezi emphasized that these enforcement measures are not novel, noting they have been employed in the past to achieve similar objectives. He urged cooperation from all road users, including motorcyclists, asking them to comply with directives from the Military Police and Uganda Traffic Police for the common good.
The operation is set to continue "in force for as long as necessary," according to the Defence headquarters.
