Police ‘set’ for Tuesday March, say demo is illegal

Police dares NUP, activists to occupy Kampala streets

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Police have dared supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and anti corruption activists to occupy Kampala streets as they have been rallying supporters and other concerned Ugandans to do this week.

Police Spokesperson, ACP Kituuma Rusoke, said the force and sister security agencies are ready to avert any activities that are intended to surrender the country into recklessness.

Rusoke said police have already heightened deployment in Kampala including at NUP headquarters in Makerere- Kavule in preparation for planned subversive activities with the peak expected to be tomorrow starting with the march to parliament.

“We cannot surrender this country to such reckless processions. Whenever we have reliable intelligence that certain activities are likely to disrupt order, we heighten our deployment. NUP called everyone from all walks of life. We are saying the longer you take to recognize the rights of others, the long you will not to enjoy your rights too,” ACP Rusoke said.

Security surrounded NUP headquarters in Makerere-Kavule starting with Sunday evening and by Monday morning, police and military personnel presence was almost outnumbering the party’s supporters since were not allowed to get closer.

NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi via X Space said that NUP was not in charge of the march to Parliament but they support whoever is organizing it. This was after some of NUP’s leaders were reportedly being held by police in unknown places and after police indicated that the protests planned for his week are being spearheaded by the party that came second in the 2021 presidential elections.

“For the record, the 23rd July #March2Parliament protests are not organized by NUP. But we support them with all our might because we are #PeoplePower and we absolutely believe in the Power of the People. We support every effort to protest against injustice, corruption and misrule,” Kyagulanyi said.

Kyagulanyi added that the effort by the regime to clamp down and make it look like an NUP initiative is meant to weaken it because they want to make it appear like a partisan matter. “The #AntiCorruptionProtests as we know them are organized by the young people of Uganda regardless of their age, religion, tribe or political affiliation! The criminal regime and its antics will certainly fail!!” Kyagulanyi said.

However, ACP Rusoke has advised NUP and other people organizing protests to understand that they do not have absolute rights. “You need to collaborate with existing regimes on ground especially the security regime to see how we can plan and ensure there is nothing affecting of the lives, nothing affecting other people’s businesses,” ACP Rusoke said.

Security said no one shall be allowed to occupy streets which are known as trade environment. Also, ACP Rusoke advised activists and NUP to remember that there are many people who are not part of their demonstrations and they need to use the streets for trade and safe mobility.

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