Rt. Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu has warned government that the political environment will worsen if they don’t lessen force on opposition political groups.
Muntu argues that it’s time for government to study the situation, change modus operandi and avail space for political parties to operate.
Government has in the recent weeks faced criticism for breaking-up Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) countrywide mobilization activities. State security agencies have also quelled movements and activities of Kyadondo East legislator, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and his supporters.
The security-Bobi Wine stalemate was caused by cancellation of the latter’s Easter Monday music concert. Bobi Wine responded by announcing that he would protest which prompted security to lock him at home for two days.
When invited to police CID headquarters for interrogation on Monday, Bobi Wine gathered supporters along the way. The crowd was dispersed, Bobi Wine hastily arrested, first detained at Nagalama Police Station in Mukono and later transferred to Buganda Road Magistrate Court where he was charged for a 2018 offence of mobilising people to resist payment of OTT tax. Bobi Wine was remanded to Luzira until Thursday, May 2, 2019.
Muntu says the regime is groping in darkness, unaware of how to handle the political situation.
He warns knee jerk responses will cause the environment to deteriorate. Muntu pointed to the recent people led revolutions in Algeria and Sudan where masses went to streets and pushed out leaders who had been in power for decades.
But Muntu says opposition parties must take advantage of the gains that they are likely to earn in the on-going environment.
Muntu’s call comes at a time when government is holding talks with opposition under Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) umbrella. IPOD is an umbrella of political parties represented in parliament.
Government last week admitted that the Public Order Management Act (POMA), 2013 is being implemented wrongly.
A committee of political parties’ secretary generals and Deputy Attorney General, Mwesigwa Rukutana was last week set up to scrutinize the POMA and draft guidelines on its implementation. It was given 10 days. The committee meetings are on-going.
IPOD Secretary-General, Frank Rusa says that they are expediting discussions to find solutions for the current situation.
“Right now, I am in an IPOD retreat discussing with Party Leaders that very question (of current political environment),” Rusa says. “We are going to speed up the process of delivering tangible verifiable results as soon as possible. Hopefully, by the end of next week, we come up with real actions.” Elsewhere, Monday afternoon became a day of darkness for Ugandans across the country as FDC’s Kizza Besigye and party President were arrested in Kasese while Bobi Wine was sent to Luzira Prison for a 2018 offence. For comments, call or text us on 0752510225.
