Security has tightened around the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom headquarters in Hoima City after police and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel moved in early Monday morning, sealing off access to the Kingdom’s key administrative offices.
By 9:00am, heavily armed security personnel had surrounded the Kingdom chambers, locally known as the Rukurato, while additional officers were deployed around the palace and other parts of Hoima City.
Access to the Kingdom premises was restricted, with security personnel visibly stationed at strategic points around the headquarters. Other officers were reportedly patrolling the city centre as authorities moved to prevent any possible confrontation or public disorder.
The sudden deployment has heightened tension around the Kingdom, although police insist the operation is preventive rather than a response to an incident of violence.
Albertine Region Police spokesperson SP Julius Hakiza said security agencies had received intelligence indicating that a group of youths was planning to storm the Kingdom headquarters.
“We received intelligence indicating that a group of youth were planning to storm the headquarters to cause chaos,” Hakiza said in a telephone interview.
According to Hakiza, the joint deployment by police and the military is intended to prevent the alleged planned action and maintain public order.
He urged residents of Hoima to remain calm and warned that security forces would take action against anyone attempting to disrupt peace.
The deployment comes amid heightened attention around the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, with the presence of armed security forces at the Rukurato and palace likely to fuel questions among Kingdom subjects about what prompted the extraordinary security operation.
Police, however, have not publicly identified the youths allegedly planning to storm the headquarters, nor have they disclosed details of the intelligence on which the deployment was based.
Hakiza maintained that the operation was a normal security measure designed to prevent potential unrest before it occurs.
Security personnel remained deployed around the Kingdom premises as of Monday morning, effectively placing the headquarters under tight security control.
Residents have been urged to avoid crowds and any actions that could trigger confrontation with security forces.
The situation remains closely watched in Hoima as authorities seek to keep the area calm while maintaining the security cordon around the Kingdom headquarters.
