Heavy security deployment as Museveni, Bobi Wine campaign in Hoima town
UPDF and riot police officers listening to instructions from their commanders at Hoima Central police station ahead of their deployment on September 24, 2019. URN PHOTO
There is heightened security in Hoima District in western Uganda as the campaigns for the woman MP by-elections climax.
The elections are scheduled for Thursday this week.
President Museveni and the Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine who doubles as leader of the People Power Movement have pitched camp in Hoima District to garner support for Harriet Businge Mugenyi, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Ms Asinansi Nyakato, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party candidates respectively.
Mr Museveni is set to address a rally in Mbaraara village in Kitoba Sub County this morning followed by another rally at Hoima Boma grounds in the afternoon.
Mr Kyagulanyi and other Opposition leaders will address a rally at Parajwoki primary school in the same sub county followed by another in Busiisi division, two km kilometers from Hoima town in the afternoon.
As a result, there is heavy deployment of Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers, riot and regular police in Hoima town and its suburbs.
There are more security officers deployed in Hoima Taxi Park, Kiryatete, Kinubi, Busiisi, Duhaga, Lusaka upper and Kibaati suburbs of Hoima town.
Mr Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson said that security received intelligence reports indicating that People Power activists were planning to cause chaos in Hoima town ahead of Mr Museveni’s address at Hoima Boma grounds on Tuesday afternoon.
According to police, the heavy deployment is meant to prevent chaos in the town centre.
“We don't want any collision because the president will be at Boma Grounds. As a result, some roads will be closed. However, access roads will be communicated so that we avoid collision of supporters of the two candidates. We don't want a repeat of what happened in Arua. Opposition groups usually organise some youth who come and disorganise the rally of the president. As security, we shall not entertain any disorder at or near the president's rally. We need to have peaceful campaigns today," Mr Hakiza said.
The Hoima Woman MP seat fell vacant after Tophace Kaahwa Byagira, the former woman MP opted to represent the newly created Kikuube District that was carved out of Hoima and became operational on July 1, 2019.
