The Director of Operations in the Uganda Police AIGP Edward Ochom said that before they use the teargas which he said is the most effective nonlethal method of crowd control, they first inspect it
The Uganda Police has denied using expired teargas to
break up political campaigns of especially presidential candidates.
Speaking to
reporters at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, Edward, Ochom, the Director of
Operations in the Uganda Police said that before they use the teargas which he
said is the most effective nonlethal method of crowd control, they first
inspect it.
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There has been talk in the media of police is
using expired teargas to break up campaign rallies of especially opposition presidential
candidates. Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu, the National Unity Platform
presidential candidate and Patrick Amuriat Oboi of the Forum for Democratic
Change have majorly been at the receiving end of this teargas.
Photos of
Kyagulanyi’s car covered in smoke have made rounds on social media eliciting
condemnation from rights groups.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police Martin
Okoth Ochola has vowed to deal decisively with candidates and their supporters who
continue to defy directives of the Electoral Commission and the Ministry of Health
in regards to meetings. In his message read for him by Ochom, Ochola said that
they cannot continue to look on as candidates are exposing people to Covid-19.
Ochola said that their police commanders have been instructed
not to allow any candidate to hold rallies or processions, that attract more
than 200 people.
He reiterated that commanders who fail to take stern
action against such individuals will be individually held liable for
allowing such a meeting or procession to go ahead.
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On Monday, candidates or their agents met the
Electoral Commission and the leadership of Police led by Ochom to try and get
common ground in regards to the breakup of campaign meetings. These candidates
or their agents accused the Police of closing their eyes when it comes to
violations committed by supporters or candidates of the ruling National Resistance
Movement.
Lewis Rubongoya, the secretary General of the National Unity Platform
wondered whether Covid-19 is selective. “When it comes to our candidate Kyagulanyi, the police
breaks up our meeting but when it’s the NRM they are not touched, so we wonder
whether Covid is real when it comes to us and unreal when it comes to the NRM,”
Rubongoya said.
Today marks nine days ever since the political campaign for
presidential, parliamentary and local government elections kicked off last
week. Uganda is expected to go to polls on January 14 2021 starting with
presidential and parliamentary elections.
