Kayihura refuses to clear Mbabazi’s countrywide consultative meetings

The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura has declined to clear former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi’s intended consultative meetings on his presidential bid, saying they are illegal.
In the June 16 letter of notice to police and the Electoral Commission, which the two received on the same day, Mr Mbabazi wrote saying his nationwide consultations will start on July 9 in Mbale and end in his home district of Kanungu on August 1.
However, in a letter dated June 23, Gen Kayihura wrote in response saying he would not clear Mr Mbabazi’s meetings on grounds that they are illegal since Mr Mbabzi has not been endorsed or sponsored by his party-the NRM.

“……I established from the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission that you are aspiring as a presidential candidate under the NRM. I, also, sought and got the position of the NRM. I refer to a letter from the Secretary General of the NRM (Justine Lumumba) to me and copied to yourself, dated 20th June 2015 stating that the party position on the matter,” wrote the IGP.

According to Gen Kayihura, it is clear that the NRM party has neither sponsored nor endorsed Mr Mbabazi as an aspirant within the meaning of the NRM Constitution law as required by the Electoral Commission laws and therefore, he has no locus to hold public meetings as prospective presidential bearer of the NRM political organization or presidential aspirant.
“ Accordingly, in view of the above, your programme of public meetings are not cleared by police, and cannot go ahead as you intended until, as requested by the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, you ‘first harmonize the position in your letter of introduction to the Electoral Commission and that of your party- the NRM,” Gen Kayihura wrote further.