Government drafts Bill to control public assemblies

Mukono

A Bill to regulate public gatherings and assemblies is before Cabinet, the Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen. Kale Kayihura, has disclosed. The Bill, a draft of which Daily Monitor has seen, would, if passed, give powers to the IGP to “regulate the conduct of public meetings” with the aim of “safeguarding public order and related matters”.

Speaking during a dialogue organised by the Electoral Commission for political party leaders in Mukono, Maj. Gen. Kayihura said there has been a tendency by politicians to think that the right to assembly and demonstration was absolute, which is not the case. “It’s at Cabinet level. The minister (Mr Freddie Ruhindi – deputy Attorney General) is here. He can explain,” Maj. Gen. Kayihura said.

The revelation comes at a time when the police and opposition politicians have been involved in several face-offs during rallies for reportedly not seeking police permission.

The politicians argue that the law only requires them to notify the police of their activities but Maj Gen Kayihura said such activities required not “necessarily permission but clearance”.

The proposed law, coming ahead of the 2011 general polls may not go down well with the opposition who have accused the police of being partisan, something that the police boss denies.

Bugweri MP Abdu Katuntu however, said Maj. Kayihura’s denial cannot help the situation in which the Kiboko squad was beating up opposition supporters in the presence of police officers.