Every election cycle in Uganda seems to come with a new wave of terror unleashed upon opposition supporters by shadowy uniformed gangs operating under state protection.
From the infamous Kiboko Squad of 2006 to Boda Boda 2010, the ruthless Flying Squad and now the dreaded JATT (Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce) these groups often untrained, violent and acting above the law have become a brutal tool of intimidation.
Uganda’s political history is riddled with state-linked violence against opposition supporters. Over the years, different groups have emerged, armed with sticks, guns and government backing to silence protests.
Kiboko Squad from 2006 to 2011 was a gang of stick-wielding goons who brutally beat up opposition supporters, journalists and activists. They operated openly yet no one was ever held accountable.
Then the Boda Boda 2010 from 2010 to 2018 was also a militia of motorcycle-riding enforcers allegedly led by Abdallah Kitatta who terrorized opposition figures and civilians alike. Their reign ended when Kitatta was arrested but the violence did not stop.
After we had the Flying Squad from 2010 to 2019 which was originally formed to fight crime, this unit quickly turned into an extrajudicial death squad accused of abductions, torture and executions. After multiple scandals, it was “disbanded” but later rebranded.
Today we see JATT, this weaponized force now accused of targeted abductions, illegal detentions and disappearances of opposition members. Operating under the guise of counter-terrorism are increasingly being linked to election-related suppression of protesting voices.
There’s a disturbing pattern in Uganda’s elections, each new election brings a fresh, violent group acting with impunity.
These groups don’t just emerge by accident, they are well-funded, organized and given uniforms that resemble police and military attire.
Their sole job is to instil fear, break opposition momentum and maintain the ruling party’s grip on power.
Government officials routinely deny involvement yet the attackers are never arrested and if they are, they mysteriously disappear from court records.
Opposition leaders and supporters have felt the brutal force of these election-time militias. Many have been arrested, beaten and disappeared without a trace.
For example;
Francis Senteza, a bodyguard of Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) was run over and killed by security forces during the 2021 elections but up to now no one has been held accountable.
Nicholas Lutalo (Starboi) was abducted outside MUBS by gun-wielding men in plain clothes and a drone vehicle and days later reports surfaced that he was being held at CMI headquarters in Mbuya where torture is rampant.
Dr. Kizza Besigye, Uganda’s longtime opposition leader has been brutalized countless times from teargas to physical beatings by squads operating under state protection.
Every country deserves free and fair elections but Uganda’s history suggests otherwise. Instead of debate and democracy, Ugandans get batons and bullets.
The presence of state-sponsored terror groups raises major concerns about the legitimacy of Uganda’s electoral process, independence of security forces and the human rights of Ugandan citizens.
