The Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola on Friday cautioned Ugandans against electoral violence saying the perpetrators will suffer the consequences, especially during and after the January 14, 2021 polls.

“I would like to assure the whole country that whoever causes trouble will regret why his or her mother gave birth to him or her. We shall harvest whoever tries to cause violence,” Mr Ochola said during a joint security briefing at Naguru police headquarters ahead of the polls.

The IGP also warned political leaders who have reportedly been urging their supporters to turn up in large numbers and monitor the elections “on false claims of election fraud.”

“This is against the EC guidelines and there is no evidence of voter fraud,” Mr Ochola said.

At the same briefing, the minister of defence and veteran affairs, Mr Adolf Mwesigye said political candidates must accept the choice of the people as declared by the electoral commission.

“The only channel you can use to oppose the results is the courts of law and not violence. This is not the first time we are having elections,” he said.

Commenting on National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi’s decision to fly his children out of Uganda, Mr Mwesigye refuted reports that the regime had threatened to harm the family.

“Nothing happened to the families of those who stood in the past elections. It has never been the NRM policy to harm opponents,” Mr Mwesigye said.

Prisons boss John Byabashaija said there’s always an upsurge of the prison population, especially after the elections.

“I can assure you that we can accommodate whatever number of people are or will be thrown at us,”  he said.