Kampala, (UG): The Uganda Police Force (UPF) have dared Mr Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, the President of the National Unity Platform (NUP) to defy a directive stopping the party’s nationwide mobilisation tours.
The Police Spokesperson, SCP Fred Enanga while addressing journalists on Monday said that the police directive suspending the tours is still on and that anyone who defies it will face the wrath of the law.
“..they have defiantly continued to say and show that they will proceed with the second phase of the mobilisation tours but we have to inform them that as police we are ready to ensure anyone who defies our directive is dealt with,” Enanga said.
He added; “As police, we have a duty to police public meetings and ensure Ugandans and visitors enjoy a safe and secure environment. We will not rest until those who want to use violence and lawlessness are brought to justice in this country.”
Enanga says police received intelligence that Bobi Wine throughout the first phase of the mobilisation tours wanted to cause chaos allover and therefore they will not allow him to disrupt stability in the country.
“We had evidence that they were determined to confront police to make ugly scenes that would lead to disruption of processions and cause risk to the public .They had deployed their camera men to capture these ugly scenes involving police and NUP. Our officers exercised restraint and avoid confrontations with NUP that would have led to negative propaganda,” Enanga said.
Bobi Wine was last week told by police to immediately halt the ongoing NUP mobilisation tours, accusing the former presidential candidate of using the mobilization tours to promote sectarianism.
The former musician turned politician is accused by police of using one of the rallies in Luweero to “incite violence, promote sectarianism, make illegitimate calls for the removal of an elected government, and issuance of defamatory statements against the person of President Museveni.
Police also accused the NUP leadership of disregarding the set security guidelines and that this has led to destruction of property and in some cases, loss of lives during the rallies.
Enanga also hinted that security forces received “credible” intelligence information indicating that NUP are planning mass demonstrations in January next year but warned these too will be crashed.
“We anticipate protest events and mass demonstrations planned for January but we are ready to the arrest ring leaders. We call upon Ugandans and visitors to stand in solidarity with the law and reject these behaviors associated with NUP.”
However, in response, Kyagulanyi insisted that the mobilization tours will continue since they are “lawful” and said the police directive to stop the tours is illegal.
“As soon as we announced our mobilisation activities, they immediately started issuing those terror threats, which we believe were intended to block us from doing activities in the Kampala Metropolitan area. We were not surprised when they came up with other excuses. To obey them would be to betray and commit an offence against our people,” he said.
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