Uganda Police has summoned officials of the National Unity Platform (NUP) to clarify activities related to the party’s newly launched Leadership School.

This comes weeks after Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, inaugurated the school. Concerns have been raised within NUP that the police may attempt to link the school to subversive activities or rebels.

On June 28, SCP Moses Kafeero Kabugo, Director of Human Resource Development and Training, acting on behalf of Police Chief IGP Abbas Byakagaba, issued a summons to NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya.

The letter called for a meeting at Uganda Police Force (UPF) headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, to discuss the school’s status, curriculum, and facilitators. The meeting is scheduled for today at 10 am. NUP officials, led by Rubongoya, will attend the meeting.

The party has since expressed concerns about the police’s interest in their leadership school, particularly since other political parties, including President Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM), conduct similar training without police interference.

NUP clarified that their school does not offer accredited courses or academic qualifications. Instead, it provides training on NUP values, principles, and objectives, facilitated by the party’s leaders. Participants will receive certificates of attendance or participation.

The party questioned the police directorate’s authority to summon political party officials over internal training activities. NUP emphasized that the Uganda Police Training and Human Resources department’s mandate is to enhance police performance, not to regulate political party activities.

SG Rubongoya expressed concerns that the police might falsely accuse the NUP Leadership School of training rebels. He highlighted the discrepancy in the police’s scrutiny of NUP compared to other political parties.

“Hopefully, before long, they won’t say NUP is training rebels or involved in subversive activities! One wonders what the director for training in Police has to do with a leadership school of a political party!” Rubongoya stated. “We’ve not seen them pick interest in the trainings of other parties. Authoritarian regimes have always been very scared about any effort to educate the people!”