According to Ssenyonyi, when they wrote to police, the only response they got was through media reports the next day by the Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, saying they hadn’t followed the laid down guidelines.
Robert
Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine is set to resume his nationwide
consultations on his presidential ambitions on Monday next week. The “People power movement” leader told
journalists on Thursday morning that he is ready to consult with the population
in his bid to unseat the incumbent President, Yoweri Museveni in the 2021
presidential elections.
According to the
schedule, Kyagulanyi will resume consultations
at Pope Paul VI Memorial Hotel on Monday February 24, 2020 starting at 9:00am.
However, there is no official response from the Uganda Police Force about the
proposed consultations, despite the official communication by group to the law
enforcement organ.
URN
has seen a copy of the letter written and received by the office of the
Inspector General of Police (IGP) dated February 14, 2020 notifying the police
about the revised consultations. Addressing
journalists at People Power Movement Kamwokya-based offices, the group
Spokesperson, Joel Ssenyonyi, said their initial consultation plans were
frustrated by police, “without any satisfying reasons” despite clearance by Electoral
Commission (EC).
According
to Ssenyonyi, when they wrote to police, the only response they got was through
media reports the next day by the Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, saying they
hadn’t followed the laid down guidelines. He argues that they expected the Police to
respond by inviting them for a meeting where fresh guidelines would have been
laid out, a meeting they have waited for in vain.
“…because we have followed everything the law
requires us to do. The Public Order Management Act says ‘notify the police
about your intentions’ and the law says if police has any concerns, they should
write to you within 48 hours. So we have been waiting for police to write back
to us with any concerns or to invite us for a discussion. But as we wait for
that to happen, we are planning for our consultations and they are going as
planned from our end,” says Ssenyonyi.
The movement says they subsequently, through one
of their lawyers, Medard Ssegonna Lubega and Lukwago & Co. Advocates wrote
to them another letter in the same week but still without any response from the
Force. The group says they expect Police to cooperate and facilitate
their consultations with the necessary security.
//Cue in: “What’s been baffling us…
Cue out: …our consultations are on.”//
Luganda
//Cue
in: “Police twagiwandikila…
Cue out: …tutalagga eGwanga.”//
According
to Kyagulanyi, following their meeting with Electoral Commission, that was
triggered by numerous clashes with police, they wrote to the authorities as
advised and required by law. He says police have been elusive ever since.
//Cue in: “We met the Electoral Commission…
Cue out: …to provide to us.”//
Luganda
//Cue
in: “Ngabwemategeelako…
Cue out: …wiiki ejja!”//
It is
not clear whether Kyagulanyi will be allowed this time around to hold his
consultative meetings. Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga says following the
guidance by the Electoral Commission to have a meeting with the presidential
hopefuls, they have not had audience with them.
Police say they expect not only Kyagulanyi, but
all the other intending presidential candidates to present to police, clearance
of the venues they intend to use for their consultations, the number of people
they expect and other arrangements, which Enganga says, Kyagulanyi hasn’t fulfilled.
Luganda
//Cue in: “Jjukila bulungi…
Cue out: …zibaziteseedwa bulungi.”//
Enanga says they have only learnt of
Kyagulanyi’s intention of sitting with police through social media.
Davidson Ndyabahika
Freelancer