Police deployed
heavily in Kaliro district on Thursday to block a scheduled consultative
meeting by the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party at Nawampiti landing site.
Police used tear gas and live bullets to
disperse the FDC supporters who had declined to vacate the landing sites after
being told that the planned meeting was illegal.
The meeting had been called by the Kaliro FDC District
Chairperson,
Peter Kamya to consult party members on how to mobilise funds so
as to improve their livelihoods.
Kamya said the party had earmarked some projects but wanted
to get an input from the party members at the village level.
He explained that their projects are meant to
compliment government programs like the Uganda Women Empowerment program (UWEP),
which he says has left out rural women.
//Cue in: “Nsekelela police…
Cue out…Baguninamu,”.
The Former FDC Presidential candidate, Kiiza Besigye who was
expected to the address the party supporter faulted police for accepting to be
used to oppress the opposition.
//Cue in: “Bano…
Cue out…guno,”
The Busoga North police spokesperson, Michael Kasadha told
URN in a telephone interview that FDC supporters staged the meeting without
police clearance, which contravenes the public order management act.
“We deployed after receiving intelligence that
FDC supporters were planning to organize a meeting in the district. But by the
mere fact that they lacked clearance from the police headquarters, their
meeting became impossible,” he said.
