Police block MPs’, CSO's joint consultative meeting on age limit
Fida executive director Irene Ovonji Odida engages Katwe DPC Frantile Lwamusai who commanded the police to block their (MPs and civil society) consultative meeting on the proposed removal of presidential age limit cap from the constitution. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KATO
What you need to know:
- Ms Odida said they would not give up because of police intimidation, insisting that they have organised several other meetings which will happen with or without police notification.
- MP Kivumbi said they obeyed police directive to vacate Muganzirwazza because they did not want to cause chaos at the Kabaka’s building.
KAMPALA. Kampala South Metropolitan police have blocked a consultative meeting on the proposed age limit removal organised by MPs under the parliamentary forum on human rights and civil society.
Police commanded by Katwe division police commander, Frantile Lwamusai, cordoned off the Buganda kingdom building named Muganzirwazza where the meeting had been scheduled.
Although MP Muwanga Kivumbi and Fida executive director, Ms Irene Ovonji Odida, said they had notified the police as required by public order management act, Mr Lwamusai insisted that the meeting was illegal since the organizers had not sought clearance from the office of the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura.
“We have not seen any clearance from the IGP and we cannot allow the meeting to happen. The procedure is that you have to present a clearance from IGP and we provide you with security,” Mr Lwamusai said.
Mr Kivumbi said they wrote to IGP Gen Kale Kayihura and his office acknowledged receipt of their notification which they also served Kampala Metropolitan police. “We notified the office of the IGP. But even if we had not written to IGP, this is a closed door meeting. Public management act says police can stop a meeting if it would disrupt traffic flow, or when the venue owner has not authorized or when there is already another activity,” Mr Kivumbi said.
On Thursday Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) castigated police for being biased when dealing with matters of age limit. The commission warned police and other security agencies against caging the rights of people opposed to the removal of age limit.
Ms Odida said they would not give up because of police intimidation, insisting that they have organised several other meetings which will happen with or without police notification.
“We are citizens who are authorized by law to make gatherings whenever we wish. We shall go ahead with our consultations. Being a civil society doesn’t mean we should not consult,” Ms Odida said.
Mr Kivumbi said they obeyed police directive to vacate Muganzirwazza because they did not want to cause chaos at the Kabaka’s building.
