Archbishop Odama urged political parties and their candidates to denounce and desist from politics of divisionism, abuses, and hate speeches as they seek to replace the fallen Speaker of Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah who was the area Member of Parliament.
The security at the grave side briefly blocked Bobi Wine and his accomplices from accessing the burial ground on the said orders of the Omoro Resident District Commissioner Andrew Onyuk, but they were later allowed.
The former presidential candidate said that several politicians in the country are taking advantage of the demise of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah to create hatred, especially between the Acholi and Buganda.
The candidates addressed dozens of journalists, presenters, talk show hosts from various media houses within Gulu City and revelers squeezed at the small back section of Franklin Hotel`s lodge where they promised them monetary and material benefits once they secure for them victories by mobilizing voters for them in the general elections.
All was well until Olaka tasked the purported defectors to hand over membership cards from their former political parties and attires to prove they were indeed defectors. However, none of the purported defectors had a membership card of the opposition parties they were claiming to be leaving.
Zabedu, who was conducting her hotel business that fateful day, was rushed to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital where doctors decided to amputate her leg on Monday this week to extensive damage.
At Kabulassoke township where the police again mounted armored vehicles to prevent Kyagulanyi and his entourage to reach Maddu town council where he had planned his main rally of the day, Kyagulanyi addressed his supporters amidst tear gas, live bullets and water splashed by the police armored vehicles.
Onencan surrendered the NUP stamp and register containing names of 1,018 NUP party members in the district. He defected alongside Richard Onencan, the Kitgum NUP party Chief Mobilizer, Lawrence Kidega, the NUP Coordinator for Central Ward Division in Kitgum and Denis Mwaka, who is contesting for the Chua West Division LC IV Councilor’s seat under the NUP ticket.
Patrick Jimmy Okema, the Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson instead advised the candidate to get a private security guard or apply to the Inspector General of Police for a police officer for his protection.
They denounced their allegiance to the NUP, handed over their party cards to leadership of the ruling party through Bosco Odoch Olak, the Head of NRM Campaign and Mobilization for Northern Uganda.
Tonny Olanya Olenge, the former head of mobilization for NUP in Northern Uganda who defected to the NRM early this week came under fire from Bosco Ocira Lawino alias Snoop, the former NUP head of mobilization for Nwoya district who also defected to NRM last week.
The latest defections include Tonny Olanya Olenge, the NUP`s Acholi Sub Regional Coordinator and head of the mobilization, Kennedy Otim the NUP Coordinator for Gulu City, Robinson Rachkara the NUP`s party Administrator for the Northern Region and contestant for Laroo-Pece Division.
On Monday morning rowdy youths and a section of some disgruntled NUP party coordinators in Acholi stormed the NUP Gulu Office and destroyed several documents, office premises and equipment.
The youths, who were holding placards denouncing the office leadership for alleged corruption and tribalism, first held a procession through Gulu City.
The fracas lasted for over one hour as the youth engaged in a verbal exchange with some of the NUP officials who they threatened to kill if they don`t vacate office.
Geoffrey Nkugwa says that the people of Kassanda have great hope in Kyagulanyi whom they expect to respect people’s demand for federal not only for Buganda but other parts of the country. He also expects Kyagulanyi to open up the lakes whose access to local fishermen was curtailed by the NRM government
