The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Yunus Kakande, has admitted that unidentified security operatives took control of the electoral process in Ssembabule during the January general elections after both the area army commander and Resident District Commissioners denied knowledge of the forces deployed.
Kakande made the revelation while appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to respond to issues raised in the December 2025 Auditor General’s report. The session quickly shifted to the conduct of Resident District Commissioners during the recently concluded elections, with legislators demanding answers over alleged interference and disorder in several districts.
In a candid submission, Kakande told MPs that he personally tried to trace the command behind the security presence in Ssembabule but received no clear answers.
“I contacted the late Deus Sande, the former Masaka Army Commander, and I asked what was going on in Ssembabule. He told me those were not his forces. I asked whose forces they were and he said I should ask the regional police commander. I asked the regional police commander and he would not give me the right answer. The RDC had already given up. I said where do I go? You cannot allow impunity to go on in the elections,” Kakande said.
He added that he would not tolerate any RDC attempting to override the authority of the Electoral Commission’s returning officers.
Kakande further startled the committee when he disclosed that he intervened in Kassanda North to ensure that National Unity Platform candidate Patrick Nsamba was declared winner after hesitation from local authorities.
“I talked to my RDC in Kassanda. They called me saying there was a problem because the one who was winning was not being declared. I asked who that was and they told me Nsamba was leading by 200 votes. I told the RDC that if Nsamba is winning, what is the problem? Tell the Returning Officer to declare the one who is winning, and they declared him,” Kakande revealed.
He explained that his intervention was informed by his long memory of Uganda’s electoral tensions.
“So where I got information early, I intervened. My phone was on 24 hours because I knew I was the only person who could prevail over RDCs,” he said.
Nsamba, who was present at the meeting, responded with appreciation, saying, “Hajji, if it was you, thank you.”
Beyond individual cases, Kakande proposed structural changes to the management of elections at district level. He suggested that Chief Administrative Officers should take up the role of returning officers instead of officials appointed by the Electoral Commission, arguing that they would be more accountable and less vulnerable to intimidation.
“Why should a returning officer allow an RDC to tell you who to declare? It would be better if the chief administrative officer is mandated because he is accountable and can be brought to court,” Kakande said.
He also distanced himself from directly criticising the Electoral Commission.
He also conceded that not all of the country’s 146 RDCs performed satisfactorily. He cited districts including Kibuku, Buvuma, Ssembabule and Lwengo, noting that some RDCs were under review, with a number facing transfers or interdiction.
“We invited them and asked what happened and why they lost control of the districts. We also asked security officers why they complicated the work of the RDC. I told one RDC, do you not think you need to be transferred? She asked for time to conclude the lower elections and leave peacefully,” he said.
However, several MPs rejected the idea of transferring underperforming RDCs, arguing that it merely shifts problems from one district to another.
Buvuma Woman MP Susan Mugabi criticised the redeployment of controversial officials instead of dismissing them.
“Instead of taking action and dropping her, you transferred her. You brought a problem to Buvuma. Such people should be dropped because no one needs officials who are careless about their roles and responsibilities,” Mugabi said.
Mawogola South MP Gorreth Namugga echoed the concerns and opposed the transfer of the Ssembabule RDC, arguing that the same team oversaw violence in both parliamentary and local council elections.
“They went ahead to mess up the LC5 elections and the lower local governments. Please do not transfer. Please interdict. We have evidence,” Namugga said.
She also raised alarm over the militarisation of elections, particularly the alleged involvement of the Special Forces Command in Ssembabule.
“I want you to interest yourself in the conduct of SFC in Ssembabule. The army took over and managed the elections. Some people did not vote. The vehicle of the RDC had its number plates removed and was used in the elections,” Namugga said.
She added,“We cannot compromise governance. We are a democratic country and we cannot have the person in charge of security being an active participant in causing insecurity.”
Nsamba added that some RDCs portray themselves as the ultimate representatives of the President in their districts, a posture he said fuels overreach and public mistrust.
“These RDCs introduce themselves as the voice of the President on all matters. Then you are transferring the problem to another district because the behaviour will remain the same. There are many people who want to be RDCs. Why keep those who are tainting the government?” he asked.
He further urged the Office of the President to clarify the expanding role of RDCs in land transactions, arguing that many contentious land dealings originate from their offices.
