The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has distanced itself from the violent actions of goons who, while donned in the party's signature yellow t-shirts, were captured on camera robbing and assaulting civilians in Kampala yesterday.
In a statement, NRM Secretary General, the Rt Hon Richard Todwong, described the incident as "regrettable" and very unfortunate," but suggested it may have been a calculated move by political rivals to tarnish the party's image.
The violent scenes, which spread rapidly on social media, occurred moments after President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM National Chairman, had collected nomination forms from the party's secretariat on Kyadondo Road, signalling his intent to run as the party's flagbearer in the next presidential election.
"We cannot rule out that those could be elements of the opposition that dressed in our t-shirts and caused that incident," Todwong told journalists. "Because in the history of NRM, our youth have never behaved like that. That behaviour is not for NRM. It is similar to the behaviours of other parties."
The Secretary-General announced that the party, in conjunction with state security agencies, has launched an investigation into the matter. He insisted that the individuals involved were not representative of the NRM's youth wing and that their conduct was alien to the party's code of conduct.
"The footage is there, the faces are known. The police are investigating each and every one of them who was involved in this," he affirmed, promising accountability.
While strongly suggesting a set-up by political opponents, Todwong offered an apology to the victims who were terrorized and robbed in broad daylight.
"We don't condone such behaviour and we do apologize for those that were affected," he stated. "The fact that they used our t-shirt to cause that is bad enough."