Kigezi residents defy RDC orders, attend meet

KABALE- Youth from various institutions and other residents of Kigezi sub-region on Monday defied orders from the Kabale Resident District Commissioner (RDC) not to attend a meeting organised by Uganda National NGO Forum and Kick Corruption Out of Kigezi in Kabale Town.

Mr Darius Nandinda issued radio announcements on Monday morning stopping the meeting on free and fair elections campaign, saying it had not been cleared by the district security committee and therefore it was illegal.

However, people attended the meeting in big numbers. The chairman of Kick Corruption Out of Kigezi, Fr Geatano Batanyenda, told participants that they notified the police in time as required by law.

Huge attendance
Various speakers asked religious leaders to preach about free and fair elections during church services.
Fr Batanyenda also thanked the police for not stopping the meeting.

Former Kabale District chairman Silver Baguma, Kabale FDC chairperson Lydia Turyahumura and several district and municipal council councillors attended the meeting.
They promised to take the debate on free and fair elections to their councils for debate.

Kabale Municipality Mayor Pius Ruhemurana, asked the clergy and members of the National NGO Forum to sensitise security agencies on the proposed electoral reforms.

Rtd Bishop Zac Niringiye asked participants to forgive the RDC. “...issues of intimidation, violent elections and all threats of any nature are for the past. Today we want peaceful elections.... Forgive the Kabale Resident District Commissioner,” Bishop Niringiye said.

Western Youth MP Gerald Karuhanga urged the youth to participate in politics.

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