FALSE: This is not a video of the NUP Party recruiting and training militia to counter President Museveni’s security forces
Claim
An X post was shared with us via WhatsApp claiming that the National Unity Platform (NUP) is recruiting and training a militia to counter Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni‘s security forces during the 2026 general elections.
The post was accompanied by a video of people dressed in black berets and red jumpsuits almost similar to those worn by NUP supporters, with the tag “NUP Sojja.”
The claim is dated July 26th, 2024, and is presented as “breaking news,” as indicated by the use of the phrase “Just In.”
Research
Using keyphrases and the claim date, we conducted a Google search and found no media reports or information on this matter, or on the NUP website. This raised concerns as this could become a national security threat.
We conducted a Google reverse image search to trace the source of the attached video and found images and videos of both NUP subscribers and the Somaliland Fire Brigade. We noticed similarities in their attire, such as the red color and the jumpsuits. The NUP berets are red, while those of the Somaliland fire brigade are black, similar to the ones worn by people in the video.
The results show the berets worn by people in the claim are similar to those worn by the Somaliland fire brigade. Features like the black color and the Somali fire brigade logo confirm that they are not NUP soldiers as purported in the video.
The results led us to similar videos published on the Somaliland Fire Brigade Facebook page, TikTok account, and media reports as seen here, here, here, and here.
Additionally, the X platform where this information is posted is disguised as a media platform and uses the logo of another X account, “the Kampala Journal,” which has been flagged for spreading false information, as seen here and hence should be disregarded.
Verdict:
False, the video in question is unrelated to the National Unity Platform, and there is no evidence that NUP is recruiting and training a militia to counter Mr. Museveni’s security forces during the 2026 general elections.
This fact-check post was produced by Debunk Media Initiative under the African Fact-Checking Incubator program, with support from PesaCheck, Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, and the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).
