Police pat themselves on the back over nomination success

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Director of Operations Uganda Police AIGP Edward Ochom has said that day one nomination for presidential candidates has been a large success due to proper security planning.

Three candidates, National Resistance Movement (NRM) President Museveni, General Henry Tumukunde and Alliance for National Transformation’s General Mugisha Muntu were nominated today while two independents John Katumba and Nancy Kalembe Linda did not get nominated due to nomination fees issues.

Now Uganda Police has said that the exercise was largely a success thanks to the cordoning off of a large part of the nomination center and parts of Ntinda and Nakawa and traffic diversion from Kireka to Spear Motors on Jinja road. According to Ochom, day one of nominations has been a successful one especially in the area of security but this is attributed to the nature of the candidates and the strategy employed.

Ochom in an interview with Uganda Radio Network (URN) says that candidates like Mugisha Muntu who were nominated today were peaceful and this was in the interest of everybody. He says escorting candidates too and from the venue and cordoning off the nomination area was a huge success strategy not only in stopping chaos but also in ensuring safety from COVID-19. He says unfortunately, good things come with inconvenience, in reference to traffic diversion and the peace achieved.

He however says they have also learnt from the nomination of Gen Henry Tumukunde who moved with supporters despite calls for them not to mobilise supporters. Tumukunde’s conduct had to be contained by police.

Ochom asked the remaining candidates to remain calm and observe the guidelines and not complicate their nominations by putting their lives in danger. He said people not accredited will still not access Kyambogo and the traffic flow will remain as it was today.

Asked how they are prepared tomorrow for Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and Forum for Democratic Change candidate, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, Ochom says police will provide them with adequate security from their homes to the nomination centre.

Patrick Onyango, the spokesperson Kampala Metopolitan Police says the exercise was peaceful because of the deployment nature and traffic control. He says there were only minor incidences.

He says this limited plans and incidences where by boda boda riders among others were planning to come to the venue.

Onyango says two people have been arrested in connection to the chaos in Kisekka market and they will be charged with inciting violence. He also appealed to candidates to be nominated tomorrow to observe the guidelines so that the exercise can be peaceful like that of today.

“Of course the success was as a result of the deployment we had in and out of the nomination areas, but also the fact that we controlled the area where people would have wanted to create chaos from,” Onyango said.

Five candidates are set to nominate on Tuesday.

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URN