What if the Public Order Management Act (POMA) was aimed at the National Resistance Movement?
I wonder, this is an experiment, what if the Public Order Management Act was measured in way, where it didn’t hurt the opposition or any dissidents of the government, the President and the National Resistance Movement, but instead went directly and worked against them. I know, its impossible at this point of time, but that is why this an example. An example that has been running in my mind all day.
Let’s say President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was stopping in a roundabout in the middle of Kampala or even at Owino Market without any prior notification to the authorities. Where he would cease the ordinary life and people would congregate around his Toyato Land Cruiser, but also around the convoy of Special Force Command (SFC) and so-on. Still, because he didn’t apply to be there and hold this meeting.
The authorities would than be sanctioned to send the Police Force, the Residential District Commander together with the Regional Police Commander and the Kampala Metropolitan Police had to intervene. They could even send the Flying Squad there to stop the crowds to gather around the President. Arrest the “ring-leaders”, the people who he was planning to meet. Seal of the venues and tear-gas the crowds. Even put the President in the back of the black-van and drive him back to Okello House. Where he would be in House-Arrest until he followed the Police Order and didn’t incite violence. As he did on that day without notification to have a meeting with random people on the streets of Kampala.
In the same fashion as the National Resistance Movement was planning to hold a Conference and Leadership Training at Kyankwanzi. The Party would have to inform about the planned scheduled program, about the media meetings and the addresses, where the press is supposed to participate at the venue. Where the Police Force would swiftly deny entry because they don’t have manpower to keep the NRM safe or the public. As the NRM would still go ahead on their own property, the Police Force would have to seal of the venue, arrest Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and Dr. Tanga Odoi. As they are parts of this, others that might be picked for rowdy behaviour and inciting violence would be Frank Tumbewaze, Ofwono Opondo, Kahinda Otafiire and Maj. Gen. Matayo Kyaligonza. All of them would be behind bars, awaiting trials for unknown alleged circumstances and the state awaiting to produce the evidence of it.
As those circumstances and contexts seems fine and dandy. There are others, that would seem fitting too. Since the NRM likes to ferry crowds in and around election times. Let say the NRM went around with their gadgets, their little soaps, foods and thousand shillings notes to the villages,as the NRM Village Projects always appear on the Campaign Trail of the Party.
As your playing that in your mind, as the NRM are travelling in the deep villages of Moroto or Adjumani. As the NRM Buses are ferrying crowds to the venues of the nearby stadiums. Where the President, his musicians and the SFC is in and about. The Police Force are coming with their mambas, arresting the coordinators of the Campaign. The driver of the President is taken to unknown location. His Land Cruiser is towed while he is still in it. The shocked NRM Party are following and trying to block the Police from doing this. While Secretary General Lumumba is trying to alarm the press. The NBS and NTV journalists following the Campaign Convoy is arrested and heading by another police van to Arua. The President is landing at the Moroto Magistrate Court, where his charged quickly before his airlifted to Luzira Maximum Security Prison. While the rest of the Campaign Team is either trying to get detained activists out of prison in Moroto Military Prison or awaiting trial themselves. Since, they have all broken the peace and public order by ferrying the crowds to the venue. A venue they hadn’t the clearance of the Police or the Police didn’t care about the notification and stopped it anyhow.
This was just three random scenarios. Very real scenarios, which the Opposition meets every day and all the time. Especially, when trying to gather or do political work. They cannot manage to do it, without the police intervening or being in the way of their work. The Opposition, if they try, they end up house-arrested, detained or charged with a crime. Even if the only thing they tried to do, was to actually do party work.
So, when the likes of Frank Tumwebaze saying the Police have made the Opposition heroes. Well, the Police have made them felons and outlaws, by just doing their duty and to be the checks and balances in the system. In a system that monitor, control and charge them, any time they can. This is the system that is built around the Public Order Management Act, as the Opposition has to beg to gather and do political work. Which is not a given, because the Police can use any reason or any excuse not too. That is just the way it is, but the NRM can do whatever, since the President and NRM has the Police and the Army. That is why the President can make a meeting without any form of notification and doesn’t need to follow the POMA. Even if he should, because he shouldn’t be above the law, but actually abide to it. Like everyone else. Peace.
Kyadondo By-Election: Chaos as the President intervenes in the election!
Bobi Wine: “In order not to cause a presidential embarrassment, we have agreed to hold our rally in Gayaza” (at Kiira Road Police Station after release, 27.06.2017),
Today is the final days of campaigns for the candidates of the Kyadondo By-Election in Wakiso District on the outskirts of Kampala. There is three main candidates as the DP Candidate pulled out in support of the FDC Apollo Kantinti, the ones previous election bid who got canceled by the courts. Therefore, he is running again to win his seat back. While the independent candidate Robert Kyagukanyi aka Bobi Wine, was blocked today from having his final rally at Szasa Grounds in Kasangati, because of Police interference his final rally will be in Gayaza town.
This proves the ability of the Police Force to threat the opposition candidates in favor of the ruling regime, as President Museveni comes to rally for the NRM Candidate Sitenda Ssebalu, who has buses upon buses with voter-tourism sponsored by the party. Because of the hesitation and importance of this election, they had to detain without charges the Independent Candidate Kyagukanyi at Kiira roads, until he found another venue for his final rally. President Museveni doesn’t like to pushed or dishonored, as the prospects of slap in-the-face of a new politician wasn’t in the cards.
So when they released after a done deal at the Kiira Police Station, Bobi Wine went-on to another venue, than the planned one in Kasangati, but has instead to be in Gayaza town. Proves the powers of intimidation and control of the NRM in favor of Sitenda Ssebalu and President Museveni. This is a-typical and Modus Operandi of the NRM regime. The ironies of it all, was that before President Museveni put his shovel into the By-Election, the Independent had followed procedure and warned about his campaign rally in Kasangati. This proves there is two classes of political classes in Uganda. Yet, again by the way!
“Bobi Wine has been arrested. He was meant to campaign in Kyadondo but police blocked him from accessing the grounds” (NTV Uganda, 27.06.2017).
As the final rallies are on, the Police presence is intense and at all venues. The Police are deployed at all venues to intimidate and silence opposition. There are many going from Kasangati to Gyaza as the rally shifted that way. Since the President Museveni and Ssebalu rally are held in Kasangati. Police has even interfered on the roads around Kasangati to get taxis to ferry people to the NRM rally. They really need their propaganda shots and the pride of the sensitized crowds in their favor. Since the NRM cannot win in a free and fair fight.
FDC Candidate was acting swift on arrest of Bobi Wine, stopped his rallying, went to Kiira Road and demanded the release of his competition. Apollo Kantinti didn’t do this because he had too, but proved his stance of vigilance as he as opposition has seen the cost of being so. Just by trying to figure out a way of making the NRM look better or alike it competitor.
The Communication Officer of NRM Rogers Mulindwa informed the public with this:
“NRM wishes to inform its supporters in Kyadondo East Constituency and the public at large that its Candidate Hon Sitenda Sebalu has this Tuesday afternoon been arrested by police on unclear circumstances. He was arrested together with the district NRM chairperson Hajji Abdu Kiyimba from Wampeewo playground, a second venue for today’s rallies. Police could not tell the motive behind this act but the party continues to seek a clear explanation. The venue was also later invaded by the FDC supporters rendering it impossible for our rally to take place. As an exemplary political party, we have therefore taken a decision to shift our rally to Sir Appolo Kaggwa Church of Uganda in order to avoid causing nasty scenes.We call upon our party members to remain calm and focus on the victory within our sight” (Mulindwa, 27.06.2017).
Pardon me, NRM, but this seems staged, since you arrest the Independent Candidate for campaigning in your area and than blaming FDC for having their campaign rally. This is all knowledge the Electoral Commission should have sanction on behalf of the candidates and accepted previous of the Election Road Map for the By-Election. Therefore, I am buying that the Police arrested Independent Candidate Bobi Wine for his rally in Kasangati, as President Museveni weighed in his support in the election, but that Sebalu suddenly behind bars. Seems more like play for the gallery. There is also reports that the lack of crowds around the NRM, they have not only ferried people from afar, but also closed near-by schools so the students has to attend the rallies of their candidate. A real disgrace of the NRM.
While the FDC leadership stands strong on their final rally for Apollo Kantinti where Ingrid Turinawe, Mugisha Muntu and Kizza Besigye shows up at their rally in Wampeewo. So the solidarity for their candidate is there. While Museveni needed the Police Force to clear Bobi Wine away from the venue and have control of the area, because he knew he doesn’t have the natural crowd support anymore. There are also reports of clashes in Wampeewo, as the NRM and FDC are both campaigning on the site. The FDC supporters even tell the NRM to leave the official grounds as it’s supposed to be FDC Official rally site. Certainly, the Electoral Commission has done something wrong, since both parties says there rallies are being hold there. Seems like the NRM will detain some FDC leaders and FDC supporters today, so they can hold their voter-tourism rally there. Since they have already pushed Bobi Wine to Gayaza town. Even if NRM Communication call them exemplary party, they should explain that to Bobi Wine’s supporters and barred rally, especially when all news are about the Wampeewo Play Ground rally for NRM, as the FDC are still already there. It wasn’t an invasion, they we’re already there!
So if there will be more detained opposition leaders, I wouldn’t be shocked, as this the NRM M.O. and that is what they do. Especially, since the President Museveni and his candidate for the district will arrive in the area and doesn’t want to have fair competition, certainly he will use the Police Force to get rid of the FDC in the area. Even if the FDC has followed protocol, as the Bobi Wine candidature also did in Kasangati earlier in the day. Peace.
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