Police deploy ahead of FDC weekly prayers

Police on Tuesday deployed across the country ahead of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) weekly prayers.
The deployment comes just a day after Ms Polly Namaye, the Deputy Police spokesperson warned that anyone planning to participate in the FDC national wide defiance campaigns will taste the state wrath.
Ms Namaye added the force had deployed security and intelligence personnel across the country to deal with any activities intended to disrupt President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing in slated for May 12th .

By press time, unspecified number of people including Daily Monitor reporter Stephen Kafeero had been arrested by police at FDC head offices in Najjanankumbi and Kasangati. However, Mr Kafeero was later released.

The warning comes days after former FDC presidential candidate Rtd Col Kizza Besigye vowed to defy the “political persecution” order that was issued by Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma banning any FDC defiance campaigns in the country.
FDC party president Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu while presiding over a press conference on Monday also reiterated the party’s position regarding the order by Justice Steven Kavuma. Mr Muntu said that nothing will stop their prayers across the country.
On Friday, Justice Kavuma issued an interim order discontinuing Dr Besigye and his opposition political party FDC from holding planned peaceful demonstrations at Nakivubo Blue primary school on May 5.

Justice Kavuma also ordered a stop to the party’s ‘Free My Vote’ Tuesday prayers that have been ongoing for close to two months, as well as prohibiting media houses from broadcasting or publishing any such message of the prayers.
“We don’t expect them (FDC) to defy the order. We have learnt about their unlawful mobilisation of people to engage in illegal demonstrations in Kisoro, Bunyoro, and Kampala among other places,” Ms Namaye said while addressing the media at a weekly national security briefing at police headquarters in Naguru on Monday.