Security agencies led by the Uganda Police force have on Monday explained why they blocked the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party presidential flag bearer, Eng. Patrick Amuriat Oboi from holding a rally at Cyanika in Kabale.
The Uganda Police Force spokesperson, Fred Enanga, explained that on his way to Kisoro district, Amuriat wanted to proceed and hold rally at Rwanda-Uganda Cyanika border, which they could not allow.
“The security found it inappropriate to hold a rally at the border point. You know there still some bit of hostility along that borderline and we could not allow it,” he added.
However, Enanga said Amuriat later proceeded to Kisoro municipality where he peacefully addressed over 300 people and also held radio a talk show in Kanungu before proceeding to Rukungiri.
“So, there are those who were saying that we had issues with him, but we just wanted the public to know that the venue at Cyanika border was not appropriate,” he added.
On the conduct of the general political campaigns by various presidential candidates, he said security has been working closely with the campaign teams of various candidates, which has led to slight improvement in FDC and the National Unity Plat Form (NUP) parties.
“Despite of the conflict over the guidelines where some slight improvement by FDC and NUP parties, our evidence gathering team continues to document these campaigns and putting emphasis on those areas which the candidates continue to disregard the guidelines that were given by the Electoral Commission (EC),” he said.
20 innocent people lost lives
Enanga said out of the 54 people who lost lives during the recent riots following the arrest of NUP presidential flag bearer, Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, 22 people were killed by stray bullets.
Enanga while addressing journalists at Uganda Media Centre (UMC), said security investigating team and the ballistic experts are already studying the cartridges and the bullets which were lodged in the deceased to know who fired them.
“The ballistic experts collected bullets lodged in the body of the victims and the cartridges to know who fired them. We have all details of each gun and we shall get those who did it,” he added.
He stressed that there are four alleged cases of murder and if they are linked to any of our officers, they will be investigated and charged.
He said the police are working with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Minister for Kampala, to trace the contacts of the relatives and families of the 22 deceased to have them compensated.
This follows President Yoweri Museveni’s order for an audit into circumstances under which stray bullets were released by security officers.
The president said government will also compensate all those who lost their lives but were not rioters, and even those who lost their properties if it can be verified.
