By Simon Turibamwe
The former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye (referred to as people’s President) and FDC party President, Patrick Oboi Amuriat have been barricaded from addressing a public rally that they had organized and slated to take place today (Monday) afternoon at Nyakasanga grounds in Kasese town.
The Rwenzori East Police Spokesperson, Vincent Twesige told the media that as police they had to swing into action using possible means to stop the FDC rally because it hasn’t been authorized by the Inspector General of Police.
Twesige said that the planned rally by opposition leaders contravened the Public Order Management Act (POMA) and as police would not accept it since authorization from the IGP is conditional.
He added that the police will not hesitate to arrest the FDC officials should they defy the police orders in attempt to hold the rally.
Twesige called for calm among the people of Kasese and urged them to stay away from said rally, saying it is illegal.
There is a heightened security presence at Nyakasanga playground and within Nyaksanga township ready prepared to manhandle FDC supporters should they dare force themselves to Besigye’s rally.
Police have already deployed at Nyakasanga playground to deter anyone from accessing the proposed venue for the rally.
However, FDC supporters also threatened to die where Kizza Besigye will die from like those who offered themselves to sacrifice for Rwenzururu king Charles Mumbere in 2016.
Saulo Matte, the Kasese District FDC chairperson wondered to why their mobilization meetings and rallies are being blocked yet they had informed the IGP in advance.
He insisted that the FDC national office informed the IGP about the party’s national mobilization campaign but because the Police is acting as the youth wing of the NRM is blocking the rally to only appease Museveni in return for ranks.
Saulo Matte is a retired police sergeant who chose to quit police for partisan politics after disagreeing with former IGP’s militarization of the police. He is a good critic of the police who says that the police are no longer doing police duty of keeping law and order but only law breakers and confused.
He says the branch office also wrote to the regional police commander last week reminding him about their planned activities in Kasese today. The defiant Matte says the party will go ahead with its planned activities.
By press time the FDC national team including the FDC President, Patrick Oboi Amuriat and National Mobilization Secretary, Ingrid Turinawe, were holed up in a meeting with FDC leaders at Rwenzori International Hotel in Kasese town.
The defiant FDC leaders, vowed never to cowardise before the police and that they would have a foot and motorcade procession in Kasese town and proceed for a rally at Nyakasanga playgrounds. Elsewhere, almost half of the participants in the FDC meeting at Rwenzori International Hotel were security operatives including CMI, police detectives and ISO operatives. The stubborn FDC boss Saulo Matte welcomed them in the meeting and told them not to occupy his seats because they were not prepared for. Some of them were seen yawning as FDC supporters sipped water and other beverages with swag.
POA SPEAKS OUT
Patrick Amuriat Oboi the FDC President urged party members to remain firm in the struggle for change in the country where he said that fighting a regime is not a simple task.
He said that the current regime does not respect state institutions which he said that it has owned, abused and misused for it to cling onto power. “Mr. Museveni is definitely a dictator and don’t expect that his Institutions will work for you. A dictator will never allow you to enjoy freedoms and rights. Recently, we have been banned from speaking to people on rallies and on Radios,” said Amuriat.
He added that veteran politician Dr. Kizza Besigye has been pulled out of Radio stations thrice and four Radio stations have been switched off while Kizza Besigye is speaking to people. He said that Museveni has never wanted the truth to be told to people.
He further said that all citizens now know that Museveni’s institutions are dead and will not accord them justice. He revealed that as party leadership they are going to petition Parliament and UCC for record purposes that we have been denied a chance to speak to Ugandans using electronic media. For comments, call or text us on 0752510225.
