Police have cautioned Ugandans that displaying or using the national flag is regulated by law and requires approval from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Addressing the media, Police spokesperson ACP Rusoke Kituuma said the reminder follows rising concern over what authorities describe as misuse of the flag, especially during politically sensitive activities. He noted that while the flag is a national symbol meant to unite all citizens, its recent use has raised legal and public order concerns.
According to police, the Uganda flag—used by both state institutions and private entities—has increasingly appeared at political rallies and demonstrations. Supporters of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), led by presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, have adopted the flag as a key symbol during their mobilization activities.
Bobi Wine has publicly encouraged supporters to wave the national flag as a sign of resistance and a call to what he describes as rescuing the country from authoritarian rule. NUP leaders say the shift to using the national flag followed the government’s ban on red berets, which the party had previously used as an identifying symbol.
As a result, police say NUP supporters have been seen tying the flag to boda bodas and vehicles, carrying it at campaign events, and in some cases displaying it in public places such as on electricity poles. Videos shared on social media show security personnel confronting individuals found carrying the flag, with some incidents reportedly turning violent.
Kituuma said such situations stem largely from a lack of public awareness about the law governing national symbols. He cited the National Flag and Armorial Ensigns Act, which sets out how and when the flag may be used.
“The law is very clear,” Kituuma said. “Anyone who wishes to use the national flag must first obtain permission from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Many people are simply not aware of this requirement.”
He stressed that police are not targeting citizens but are instead trying to educate the public on proper conduct.
“This is a matter of public sensitization,” he explained. “Many Ugandans do not fully understand the dos and don’ts of the national flag, yet we end up enforcing laws they may not be familiar with.”
Kituuma also reminded the public of accepted practices, such as raising the flag in the morning and lowering it in the evening or during rainfall, as done at government offices, to show respect.
“Hanging the flag on electricity poles or using it carelessly is not acceptable,” he said. “We appeal to all citizens to respect national symbols and to follow the law when displaying the national flag.”
