Fr Gaetano attacks government over Bobi Wine

KABALE. The Kitanga Catholic Parish priest in Kabale Diocese, Fr Gaetano Batanyenda, has said National Resistance Movement (NRM) government should ban political parties because it has denied Opposition politicians space to exercise their political rights.
He said government was using Public Order Management Act to deny the Opposition opportunity to mobilise their supporters.

Fr Batanyenda was on Monday addressing the media in Kabale after the arrest, charging and remanding of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, over disobedience of statutory authority.
“Article 29 of the Constitution of Uganda gives protection of freedoms on expression, movement, religion, assembly and association. The Public Order Management Act being used to deny political space to the politicians in the Opposition contravenes this provision of the Constitution of Uganda,” Fr Batanyenda said.

Charges
He added: “After failing to provide answers as to why concerts organised by Bobi Wine have been blocked, government is bringing up offences on him that he allegedly committed last year to cover up its shame. Let them ban political parties in Uganda instead of lying to the public that there is democracy.”
He also wondered why the government was denying Dr Kizza Besigye radio platforms yet NRM officials have free airtime on every radio station to popularise their programmes.

He said government was using intimidation, money and guns to infringe on the rights of the Opposition, which is not good for the country.
The executive director of Kick Corruption out of Uganda, Mr Robert Kakuru, said the arrest and prosecution of Mr Kyagulanyi is malicious and it is aimed at intimidating him for speaking against the ruling government.
Bobi Wine was on Monday remanded to Luzira prison and will return to court tomorrow for bail application.

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