Police block sports tournament organised by Ssekandi’s political rival

Police on Sunday blocked a sports tournament organised by Richard Ssebamala, the political rival of Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi in Bukoto Central Constituency.

Mr Ssebamala had organised the Easter tournament as one of his mobilisation strategies for the 2021 polls. The tournament was expected to kick off at Kamuzinda playgrounds in Kyannamukaaka Sub County on Sunday afternoon.

However, a team of police officers led by Johnstone Tumuhamye, the Officer in Charge of Kyannamukaaka Police Station blocked the organisers from launching the tournament.

They stormed the play grounds and ordered football players, fans and organisers to vacate immediately, saying they hadn’t been granted permission to carry out such an activity.

Mr Tumuhamye explained that the same playground had earlier on been booked to host another tournament sponsored by the Vice President involving schools in the constituency.

Mr Muddu Baziri, the organising committee chairperson accused police of political bias, saying they officially notified police about the tournament and no objection was raised.

Ms Juliet Nabakooza, the captain of the netball teams said that this was the second time such a tournament was being organised and wondered why security blocked it without justifiable reasons.

Mr Ssebamala, the chief organiser of the tournament, said they will not relent on their preparations, arguing that they are going to pursue police legally for interfering with their activities.

“I can’t believe what Police are saying. There are many youth in this constituency and there are many playgrounds. So if Mr Ssekandi has a tournament too, he can use other playgrounds. We are not going accept this,” he said.

Mr Ssebamala also explained that they perused through Ssekandi’s sports tournament fixture and realised there were no matches scheduled to take place at Kamuzinda playground. He wondered why police had to block their tournament.

Mr Mudashir Bbaale, the Speaker Kyesiiga Sub County and Ssekandi’s chief campaign mobilisers argued that the tournament organisers are just confrontational.

He alleged that the group’s intention was to interrupt Vice President's sports tournament, which was launched earlier in the area.

In May 2019, police also blocked Ssekandi’s other rival, Godfrey Sseremba from distributing coffee seedlings to farmers in Bukoto Central Constituency.