The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has dismissed allegations of a planned move to detain National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, ahead of the upcoming election day.

Kyagulanyi, who is campaigning to unseat President Yoweri Museveni for the second time, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday to share about what he called a plan to detain him ahead of election day.

“I’ve learnt from security circles of a plot by the desperate regime to have me arrested before polling day in order to create a pre-emptive massacre akin to what they did in November 2020. That way, they will be able to carry out massive arrests and abductions and get justification to deploy the military in every spot,” Kyagulanyi said.

In a statement issued in response to claims raised by the opposition leader, police described the allegations as baseless and warned against statements that could heighten political tension during the electoral period. "The Uganda Police Force categorically dismisses allegations of a scheme to detain candidate Kyagulanyi Sentamu or engineer incidents before election day. These assertions are unfounded and provocative."

Police maintained that they are committed to ensuring the safety of all political actors and stated that Bobi Wine continues to receive security coverage during his campaign engagements across the country. "UPF provides security for the NUP candidate throughout his campaign activities, ensuring his safety."

The statement comes amid growing political tension as Uganda moves closer to election day, with Bobi Wine expressing concerns over possible state interference, arrests, and restrictions targeting opposition figures and supporters.

The Uganda Police Force said its focus remains on maintaining peace and order throughout the electoral process and appealed to political leaders and their supporters to avoid actions that could incite violence. "Our effort is geared to facilitate tranquil elections and call on every political actor to promote non-violence."

Addressing public concern over recent arrests linked to political activities, police insisted that all law enforcement actions are conducted within the confines of the law and in line with established procedures. "All apprehensions occur strictly in line with legal guidelines, with detainees processed in full compliance with the law."

Bobi Wine, an opposition figure and presidential candidate, has repeatedly accused security agencies of intimidation and politically motivated arrests, claims the government and police have consistently denied.

As campaigning continues, political observers and civil society groups are closely monitoring the conduct of both security agencies and political actors, with renewed calls for respect for human rights, peaceful participation, and a credible electoral process.