Police officers who had been deployed to provide security to National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine have been arrested following a dispute over payments they claim to have earned while guarding the opposition leader during the election period.
The revelation was made by David Waswa, the head of the Police Counter-Terrorism Division, while appearing before the Public Accounts Committee of Uganda’s Parliament. Waswa told lawmakers that the officers were taken into custody after demanding payment for funds they said were owed to them for providing security to Kyagulanyi during the campaigns.
According to Waswa, the officers insisted they were entitled to allowances for the period they spent protecting the opposition leader, a claim that triggered internal action by the police leadership.
“Their payment has to be effected by the Electoral Commission of Uganda, which appointed them to the job, and not the Uganda Police Force,”Waswa told the committee.
The senior officer explained that the deployment of security personnel to presidential candidates during elections is coordinated through the electoral body, which bears responsibility for facilitation and logistical support during the exercise.
Waswa, who also heads the Counter-Terrorism unit, declined to disclose the exact location where the arrested officers are currently being held, saying he would need to consult relevant authorities before confirming their detention facility. However, he noted that such cases involving security personnel are typically handled internally within the specialized unit.
He added that officers implicated in such matters are often charged under disciplinary procedures within the unit, particularly in cases involving alleged misconduct or breaches of operational guidelines.
During election periods in Uganda, security personnel are routinely deployed to protect presidential candidates as part of arrangements coordinated by the electoral body. These teams are tasked with maintaining order at campaign events and ensuring the safety of candidates amid large gatherings of supporters.
The disputes over facilitation and operational allowances among deployed security personnel are not uncommon during highly demanding electoral exercises, especially when assignments involve long deployments across different parts of the country.
It remains unclear when the detained officers will formally face disciplinary proceedings as internal investigations into the matter continue.
