FDC Questions Gov’t Commitment On POMA

The Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party has questioned government’s commitment on changing the way it’s implementing the Public Order Management Act (POMA), 2013.   

FDC's skepticism comes days after government officials led by Prime Minister, Ruhukana Rugunda admitted that the law is being implemented wrongly. 

This was during an Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) meeting. IPOD is an umbrella of political parties represented in parliament.   

A committee was set up last week to draft regulations that will guide the implementation of POMA. 

Political parties have for years argued that police is not supposed to authorize their meetings but accept notification letters and provide them security. 

That’s what government officials admitted to last week during the IPOD meeting.   

The FDC Deputy Spokesperson, John Kikonyogo told journalists at party headquarters that police disrupted their activities over the weekend, two days after government admitted that the law is being wrongly implemented.   

Kikonyogo says the FDC party president, Patrick Amuriat Oboi was on Monday morning teargassed in Kasese district where FDC is conducting mobilization activities. 

Amuriat, together with FDC four time presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye and other party officials were teargassed and their activities disrupted in Kitgum and Lira districts on Saturday.   

Kikonyogo says police should change its actions to actualize government verbal commitment on POMA implementation.  

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Luganda 

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The committee set up last week was given 10 days to draft regulations. 

There are a flurry of ongoing meetings to thrust out contentious issues. Kikonyogo says FDC is committed to dialogue.    

FDC snubbed the first IPOD summit-meeting of party presidents—held in November last year. 

The party has issued threats that it may not attend the second summit slated for next month.   

Kikonyogo told journalists that the party will convene a management and National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting very soon to take positions on POMA and IPOD the second summit. 

But, he warned that they will boycott the second summit if police continues disrupting their activities.  

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Luganda   

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