Police block Bukenya’s political rally in Wakiso
Prof Gilbert Bukenya
Kampala- Former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya and his supporters were teargassed in Masuliita, Wakiso District, yesterday as police stopped a gathering on allegations that it was contravening presidential directives on containing coronavirus.
Prof Bukenya, who was launching his bid to stand for Busiro North MP in the General Election, is being investigated on the offence of carrying out acts likely to spread infectious diseases.
He represented the constituency since 1996 but he was defeated in 2011.
Mr Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, said they were investigating him for violating the statutory rules of the Ministry of Health on holding public gatherings.
“If the detectives feel that there is a need to summon him, he will be summoned using the appropriate administrative channels,” Mr Onyango said yesterday.
Section 171 of the Penal Code Act states: “Any person who unlawfully or negligently does any act which is and which he or she knows or has reason to believe to be likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.”
It is alleged that Prof Bukenya invited a group of 600 people at his home at Kakiri, but the police were able to get intelligence before and deployed heavily.
“At the moment, political gatherings are not allowed. We talked to him to abandon the idea, but he refused. We deployed in and around his home to deter him from engaging in illegal activities,” Mr Onyango said.
We were unable to get a comment from Prof Bukenya’s team by press time.
