Chaos unfolds at Besigye, Oulanyah Gulu gatherings

Gulu. Two journalists yesterday came under attack as chaos broke out at a primary school in Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s Omoro County in Gulu District when Mr Oulanyah was accused of organising a gathering at the same time and venue Dr Kizza Besigye was supposed to hold his campaign rally.

Dr Besigye, the flag bearer for the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change party, had held two mini-rallies before arriving at the school in Lalogi Sub-county where the incident happened.

On reaching the venue and spotting the gathering, Dr Besigye’s convoy parked about 100 metres away and Gulu Woman MP Betty Aol Ochan walked over to the gathering, seeming to want an explanation for what was happening.

Clash
She insisted that the Deputy Speaker’s rally was illegal because rallies for parliamentary candidates were supposed to commence today, not yesterday.

Ms Aol was followed to Mr Oulanyah’s gathering by two FDC male members, and two television cameramen, Mr Ronald Galiwango of NTV and Mr Anthony Palapande of NBS TV, to capture the proceedings.
Mr Oulanyah’s police escorts tried to stop the journalists in vain. Although Mr Oulanyah’s official vehicle was at the venue by the time Dr Besigye arrived, Mr Oulanyah was not in sight.

The situation quickly degenerated into a fight as some of the people who were attending Mr Oulanyah’s gathering pursued the journalists with clubs. Stones soon started flying too.

Mr Brian Walusaga, the driver for the NTV crew, moved to save his colleague, who in the process of running had dropped a video camera.

He was hit on the back with a club as he bent to pick up the camera. Ms Aol too was manhandled.
Mr Oulanyah’s police escorts and other plainclothed individuals eventually moved in and calmed down the people who were pursuing the journalists. The crowd later dispersed and Dr Besigye’s rally proceeded.

At the rally, FDC president, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu warned against what he called power “getting to people’s heads”.
Mr Oulanyah could not be reached for a comment on this story because his known phone numbers were inaccessible.

Ntungamo incident
The incident comes just a week after a fight between independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi’s security team and ruling NRM party supporters who were holding a procession near his rally in Ntungamo District.
The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, acted swiftly to airlift injured ruling party supporters for treatment at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and threatened to arrest members of Mr Mbabazi’s security team.
President Museveni, who was abroad at the time the fighting in Ntungamo took place, angrily reacted to the incident in a press conference days later, threatening to arrest ‘those who attacked Ugandans”.
Members of Mr Mbabazi’s security detail were eventually rounded up from his campaign office and his residence on Monday.

[email protected]