The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda police spokesperson has said the calls by National Unity Platform-NUP that the Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola should resign after violent arrest of Bobi Wine on Tuesday are far-fetched.
Fred Enanga says appointment of the IGP is stipulated in the constitution and his qualifications are well looked into by the appointing authority. The calls by NUP supporters for Okoth Ochola’s resignation come at a time when the country is heading into campaigns for general elections. There are 11 presidential candidates who have been nominated to run for 2021 presidential elections where president Museveni seeks to extend his tenure since 1986.
During nominations on Tuesday, two key opposition figures, Robert Sentamu Kyagulanyi of NUP and Patrick Amuriat Oboi of FDC were both arrested and subjected to manhandling by police.
In Moroto, the NUP supporters called on the IGP to resign for failing to call the police force to order.
However, Enanga says the call is unrealistic. Instead, he explains that the two presidential candidates were defiant despite clear regulations set by the Electoral Commission regarding processions in the face of Covid-19 pandemic.
Enanga said that although Kyagulanyi had cooperated with the security agencies before nominations, he immediately defied lawful directives to return to his home without attracting crowds to disrupt traffic flow in the city.
On Tuesday, the NUP chapter in Karamoja expressed dismay at the manner in which the police manhandled Bobi Wine just after being nominated. He was roughed up and bundled into the police car and taken to his home.
Andrew Lokong, the Moroto NUP coordinator has called on the Inspector General of Police to resign saying he has failed to call the force into order. Lokong accuses the police of using excessive powers to curtail multiparty democracy on the orders of senior officials in government to the advantage of the incumbent President Museveni.
The Karamoja regional NUP coordinator, Vincent Okot said police brutality was being used as a tool to oppress opposition political parties from soliciting support.
On the other hand, Patrick Amuriat was prevented from using his planned root due to fears he was going to attract a procession, the police spokesperson said today in a phone interview.
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