The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
By Ronald Musoke
Police in Masaka Municipality has halted the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) ‘celebrations’ of President Museveni’s ‘75th birthday’ which they say falls on Dec. 4.
Reports from Masaka say by 6:00AM Police had cordoned off the Mayor’s Gardens and all adjacent streets as they anticipated the youth to arrive at the venue later on in the day to go ahead with the celebrations.
Other reports show that several youths were arrested by Police in Nyendo town which is near Masaka Municipality over the same incident.
The UYD leader in Masaka, Paddy Kiganda said the youth wrote to the police notifying them of their intention to celebrate President Museveni’s birthday but Police failed to grant them the opportunity to go ahead with the party.
According to the southern regional Police spokesperson, Noah Serunjogi, Police received express orders from President Museveni security detail commanding the Police to halt the ‘party.’ Serunjogi said the only people who are supposed to organize Museveni a birthday party are his immediate family and no one else.
Two years ago, a similar incident happened in Kampala when the UYD—the Democratic Party’s youth wing made a procession towards Constitutional Square with a birthday cake and cards to celebrate the president’s 73rd birthday.
The UYD think Museveni was born on Dec. 4, 1937 and he must be 75 today. However, his official age is 67 and although there are no records to ascertain his exact year of birth, some reckon he was born around 1945 as World War II was coming to an end.
