Police, MP Ssemujju speak out on deployment at NBS TV

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Police has said they deployed near NBS television to enforce curfew orders but not to arrest the politicians who had appeared on the Barometer talk show.

Speaking to Uganda Radio Network -URN, Luke Oweyesigyire, the deputy spokesperson of Kampala Metropolitan Police said their officers stationed in the junction of Kayunga road to intercept any drivers and pedestrians who might have used any of the four roads that intersect at the point they were positioned.

According to information that was making rounds on social media, the police surrounded NBS Television housed at Media Plaza in Kamwokya with the view of arresting politicians; Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the MP for Kira municipality, Betty Nambooze, the MP for Mukono municipality and Fred Nyanzi, the People Power coordinator in charge of the informal sector.

The three had featured together with political commentator, Charles Rwomushana and the Kabula County Member of Parliament James Kakooza.

According to Oweyesigyire, their focus was everybody who would be found in breach of the 9 pm-5:30 am curfew decreed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as a measure to control the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

In the operation, four people were arrested including Guster Opondo, James Mubiru James, Charles Rwomushana and Ali Abdallah. For Ssemujju and Nambooze, they rushed back to the premises of NBS where they spent the night while James Kakooza who was in the company of three UPDF soldiers was allowed to go.

In a telephone conversation, Ssemujju told Uganda Radio Network -URN that they believed that the deployment was aimed at arresting them after probably having said something on the show moderated by Zambaali Blasio Mukasa that didn’t amuse the power that be.

Ssemujju adds that in the morning at around 6am, the police withdrew from area hence allowing them to go back to their homes.

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URN