Three MPs arrested for demonstrating over Tirinyi Road

BUDAKA- Police in Budaka District on Monday arrested three Members of Parliament who reportedly staged a demonstration over the sorry state of Mbale-Tirinyi-Nakalama road.

The MPs were arrested at Kakori Trading Centre in Budaka District, 10 kilometres from Mbale town.

The legislators are Ms Pamela Nasiyo, (Budaka District Woman) Mr John Baptist Nambeshe, (Manjiya County) in Bududa District and Mr Silas Aogon, the Kumi Municipality MP.

 The Police Operations Officer, Mr Moses Kazibwe said the MPs were arrested for holding an unlawful assembly contrary to the Public Order Management Act.                    

“MPs defied the law and we had no option but to use reason force to arrest them,” he said.

 Mr Kazibwe said the MPs had ill-intentions of inciting the public over the matter that is being handled by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).

 “UNRA is addressing the concerns of the people concerning the road but the MPs wanted to use the opportunity to politicise it,” he said.

Prior to being arrested, Mr Nambeshe said they would not relent until UNRA responds to their demands.

 “UNRA gave us assurance that the contractor will be on site within two weeks but the contractor is not yet here. We will not relent with the mission to mobilise citizens to protest over the continued sorry state of the road,” he said. “This is just the beginning and worst will come if UNRA does not comply with its promise. People are totally disappointed with government delays to finalise works on the road.”

He said the road is not suitable for transport because it has become a death trap.

 According to a September 2 letter by the UNRA Ag. Executive Director, Ms Edna Rugumayo, the organisation in May 2017 terminated the contract that was awarded to Dott Services to rehabilitate the road because the contractor did not want to be supervised.