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10 arrested as police block Bobi Wine mobilisation tour
Police attempt to block Bobi Wine convoy at the New Bridge in Jinja on his way to Kamuli for his mobilisation tour on May 22, 2024. PHOTO/ ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- According to ASP Kasadha NUP mobilization activities were suspended over non-adherence to set guidelines that led to public disorder, traffic disruption, loss of business, malicious damage to property, and dangerous driving causing death and injuries, among others.
Police Wednesday said they had arrested 10 people during their operation to block National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi’s mobilization tour in Kamuli District in Busoga sub-region in Eastern Uganda.
They are accused of inciting violence, according to Busoga North Police region spokesperson, ASP Michael Kasadha.
“We had prior credible intelligence that the National Unity Platform members had planned a moblisation tour today (May 22) in Kamuli municipality. As they were waiting for the expected guests, a group of people attempted to carry out illegal démonstrations which prompted us to disperse them and eventually arrested the 10 suspects which restored order,” ASP Kasadha said in a Wednesday evening statement, hours after police fired teargas to block Mr Kyagulanyi and other NUP leaders from entering Kamuli District where they had planned to hold their first political rally as they embarked on the second phase of nationwide mobilization tour ahead of 2026.
According to ASP Kasadha NUP mobilization activities were suspended over non-adherence to set guidelines that led to public disorder, traffic disruption, loss of business, malicious damage to property, and dangerous driving causing death and injuries, among others.
“As the NUP leadership defiantly went on moblising and leading processions on the way to Kamuli, their leader Robert Kyagulanyi, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi Kampala Woman MP Shamim Malende and a rowdy disorderly crowd were intercepted and dispersed proportionately between the boarder of Kamuli and Jinja districts before they turned and went back,” he said.
He said suspension of NUP mobilisation activities continues until when the leading opposition party leadership complies with the police guidelines.
Before setting off from Kampala to Kamuli for the foiled tour, Mr Kyagulanyi said they had met all the requirements for their activities as stipulated in the law.
He said police had not responded to their letter written to them days ago.
Earlier, police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga had also warned NUP leadership that their activities would be blocked.
