A photo of a National Unity Platform (NUP) supporter from Luwero District pretending to act as a military sniper has gone viral, drawing both praise and criticism across social media platforms.
The image, widely shared on Wednesday, shows an unidentified man perched on top of a building at Kyegombwa SDA Playground in Luwero Sub-county, where NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi held his main rally.
The man is seen clutching a toy gun fashioned from yam stems—part of a broader spectacle in which several supporters crafted improvised toy weapons to mimic security personnel during Kyagulanyi’s campaign trail.
Witnesses said groups of enthusiastic supporters, “armed” with the yam-stem guns, moved around the streets of Luwero, positioning themselves at vantage points to symbolically “provide security” for Kyagulanyi. During his rally, Kyagulanyi acknowledged the man atop the building, applauding what he described as the foot soldier’s spirit.
NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya later shared the viral photo on his X (formerly Twitter) account, captioning it in Luganda: “Security ebadde guruguru e’Luweero”—loosely translating to “Security was tight in Luweero.” The post had garnered more than 162,000 views within 15 hours.
While many supporters celebrated the moment, including former KFM sports presenter Patrick Kanyomozi who described it as harmless fun, others sharply disagreed.
Former Coordinator of Intelligence Services, General David Sejusa, condemned both the act and Rubongoya’s decision to share the photo.
“This is absolutely IRRESPONSIBLE, ndugu.
Discourage it,” Sejusa wrote in response. “Mimicking armed soldiers aiming guns from whatever point is very dangerous. Whether using toys, bamboo or banana fibres, DON’T! Politics is serious business… why is it a game to you?”
Some social media users expressed fear that the supporter could be traced and arrested by security agencies for posing with military-like equipment.
“Naye bwebanamukwata don’t cry… you incite them but you walk scot free,” wrote user Ibrah Nsereko.
Others urged Rubongoya to reflect on past incidents. “As SG of NUP, if you remember what happened to foot soldiers who conducted an illegal parade at the party headquarters, you wouldn’t post this,” commented Jimmy Atugonza. “Now this boy is going to be arrested and you won’t save him.”
Their concerns come at a time when several NUP supporters remain on remand at Luzira Prison over accusations of participating in unlawful military drills at the party’s headquarters in Kavule, Makerere, on February 12, 2025. Prosecutors allege the group took part in an unauthorized assembly where they conducted military-style training, movements and drills.
The viral photo now adds to broader debates on political symbolism, state sensitivity to military mimicry, and the risks faced by opposition supporters during the election season.
