Gen Ssejusa Warns NUP Supporters On Death – “Stop Your Silly Games”

Former intelligence chief Gen. David Sejusa has spoken out sharply against a now-viral photograph taken in Luwero, showing an NUP supporter perched dramatically atop a building during one of Bobi Wine’s campaign rallies.

In the image, the young supporter strikes a pose resembling that of a sniper, holding a gun-like prop crafted from yam fibres. What some online users viewed as humorous or creative quickly ignited heated debate, drawing the attention—and disapproval—of the retired General.

Sejusa did not mince words. He labelled the act not just misguided, but dangerously reckless, warning that such theatrics have no place in an already tense political atmosphere.

“This is absolutely irresponsible,” he warned. “Mimicking armed soldiers aiming guns — whether using toys, bamboo or banana fibres — is very dangerous. Politics is serious business. Don’t turn it into a game.”

According to Sejusa, Uganda’s political landscape is fraught with real risks, where misinterpretations can spiral into life-altering consequences.

He questioned why senior figures in the National Unity Platform (NUP), particularly the Secretary General, would circulate such an image as though it were a source of amusement—especially when the party frequently reports arrests, harassment, and surveillance of its supporters.

“Politics is serious business, in many places, of life and death, why is it a game, a comedy to you? I see your group rounded up, etc by police, yet, it’s fun to you? And keep doing silly things which don’t add value at all?”

His remarks were prompted by a poster shared by NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, who had posted the image of the supporter striking the mock-sniper stance.

While some interpreted the photo as a symbol of creativity or resilience, Sejusa viewed it as dangerously provocative, especially during a period when any symbol resembling a weapon—real or improvised—could trigger panic or miscalculation by security agencies.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile campaign season. In recent days, clashes between security forces and NUP supporters have intensified, with reports of arrests, dispersal of rallies, roadside confrontations, and claims of excessive force.

NUP leaders accuse security operatives of intimidation and heavy-handedness, while police maintain that some supporters have been acting provocatively, testing the limits of lawful assembly.

Against this tense backdrop, Sejusa’s warning carries a tone of urgency. He urged young supporters—often at the frontlines of campaign activities—to avoid actions that could be misinterpreted or escalate an already charged environment.

In his view, symbolic gestures that resemble armed posturing, even if done in jest, risk triggering unnecessary confrontations in a political season already teetering on the edge.