Ugandan Soldiers Beat Youths as Flag Crackdown Targets Bobi Wine Supporters

Ugandan soldiers have been accused of assaulting young men and forcing them to remove the national flag from a public pole, in an incident that highlights growing tensions between security forces and supporters of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.

Witnesses say the confrontation occurred when uniformed soldiers approached a group of youths who had hoisted the Ugandan flag in a public space. Videos circulating on social media appear to show soldiers beating and intimidating the young men before ordering them to pull down the flag.In recent months, the Ugandan flag has taken on new political meaning.

While traditionally a symbol of national unity, it has increasingly been used by supporters of Bobi Wine and his National Unity Platform (NUP) as a sign of protest and resistance against President Yoweri Museveni’s nearly four-decade rule. Opposition figures say reclaiming the flag represents a call for democracy, accountability and constitutional governance. Security agencies have pushed back against the practice.

The Electoral Commission and police have previously warned against what they describe as the “misuse” of national symbols during the election period, arguing that such actions could disrupt public order. Critics, however, say these warnings are selectively enforced and are aimed at suppressing opposition activity.

Human rights activists condemned the reported assault, describing it as part of a broader pattern of repression.

“Beating unarmed youths for displaying the national flag shows how intolerant the state has become of peaceful expression,” said a Kampala-based human rights lawyer.

“This is not about security; it is about silencing dissent.”The incident has also renewed scrutiny of the military’s role in civilian and political affairs. Uganda’s armed forces are headed by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, President Museveni’s son, whose public political statements and open loyalty to his father have drawn controversy.

Opposition leaders and analysts argue that the military has increasingly been deployed to police political expression, blurring the line between national defence and partisan enforcement.

At the time of publication, the government and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces had not issued an official statement on the incident. In previous cases, the army has said it acts to maintain law and order and has rejected claims that it targets opposition supporters.

For many young Ugandans, the incident has reinforced feelings of anger and exclusion. “The flag belongs to all citizens,” said one student, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

“If we are beaten for raising it, then our freedom is only on paper. ”As the political climate becomes increasingly charged, observers warn that continued militarisation of civic space could deepen public resentment and heighten tensions, particularly among the country’s youth, who form the majority of the population and remain central to Uganda’s unfolding political struggle.