The Acholi Cultural Institution (Ker Kwaro Acholi) has called on candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid violence as the country heads toward the 2026 General Election.
The institution warned that violent elections could destroy the nation many Ugandans call home. Mr Okello Okuna, the minister of information at Ker Kwaro Acholi, said while political parties may have different ideologies, disagreements should remain ideological, not violent.
He cautioned security agencies against using excessive force, saying political violence casts the country in bad light.
‘I went to the barracks and told a gentleman in uniform that if Kyagulanyi comes here on Saturday, we do not want a single drop of blood spilled. We have lost too many people already. When we talk about war, we understand it better than anybody in Uganda,’ Mr Okuna said.
Mr Okuna made the remarks during a visit by the Democratic Front party president, Mr Mathias Mpuuga to the Paramount Chief’s palace at Wii Got, on the outskirts of Gulu City. He said the Paramount Chief, Rwot David Onen Acana II, has consistently called for a peaceful 2026 General Election, which he said is the country’s greatest need at the moment.
Mr Mpuuga said his party fully supports the call for peaceful elections. Although he is not contesting for the presidency, he has been travelling across the country advocating for peaceful participation in the elections.
He added that his campaign for peace will take him to northern Uganda, West Nile, and the Teso sub-regions.
Mr Mpuuga pledged that his party is committed to providing solutions to the country’s many challenges.
‘The country’s problems are widespread and require a multi-faceted approach, including a national dialogue,’ he said.
Mr Martin Okumu, the deputy prime minister of Ker Kwaro Acholi, cautioned politicians against sowing seeds of division among their supporters.
‘As the Acholi Cultural Institution, we want politics that embraces everyone, politics that unites the country for a common goal, even if we belong to different political parties,’ he said.