Police in Kampala say they will heavily deploy in Kampala on Friday in order to quel an unlawful procession by supporters of opposition politician, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, notes that information in their possession indicates that participants intend to start from different parts of the City before convening at the headquarters of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
“We have received information that members and leaders of the National Unity Platform are planning unlawful procession slated for tomorrow November 18 from different parts of Kampala City to their party headin Kamwokya,” Owoyesigyire says.
“Members of the public should note that this procession is unlawful. The police was not informed about this kind of activity as it should be for proper planning in accordance with the Public Order Management Act.”
“We would like to inform the general public that this procession will not be allotp take place and whoever is planning to take part in this unlawful activity will be dealt with in accordance with the law. We will deploy accordingly to deter this unlawful activity,” adds Owoyesigyire.
Although Owoyesigyire did not provide further details regarding the cause of the procession, it should be noted that tomorrow marks exactly two years since the November riots that cost a couple of dozens of lives in Uganda as the country’s prepared for January 2021 presidential elections.
Last year’s election was characterised by horrible scenes particularly at the time when political tensions peaked, a couple of weeks to the polling day and the aftermath involving kidnapping opposition activitists and shooting people dead in Kampala by security personnel.
In November 2020, security forces brutally clamped down on people protesting the arrest of opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi, killing 54 people, and injuring scores more.
Just before noon on November 18, 2020, two months ahead of the general elections, security forces arrested Kyagulanyi, popularly as he prepared to hold a campaign rally in Luuka, Eastern Uganda. The police said they had arrested him for breaching Covid-19 regulations, but it was clear authorities were using the pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on opposition during the election campaigns.
As news spread about Kyagulanyi’s arrest, widespread protests in Kampala and other parts of the country erupted for two days. Authorities responded with teargas, by beating protestors and using live bullets, killing at least 54 people, even according to the government’s own admission.
Those killed included bystanders and market traders who had nothing to do with the protests. Numerous others were injured.