Visibly disappointed, Amuriat said the police was being used to frustrate people working for change, adding that the Police Commission was a bottleneck to democracy in Uganda.
The Forum for Democratic Change-FDC presidential
candidate, Patrick Amuriat Oboi has decried the police decision to foil his
campaigns in Moroto district. Amuriat arrived in Moroto on Saturday evening
ahead of his program on today.
However, to his dismay, police led
by the Mt. Moroto Regional Police Commander, Francis Chemusto dispersed
bystanders as they formed crowds in the Central Business district to wave to
Amuriat as he made several stopovers.
Amuriat went through Kampswahili early
in the day, but at every stopover, the police and military used minimum force
to disperse the small crowds that were forming.
Police asked him to head to Napak
for his campaigns.
Amuriat later managed to speak to a group of children in
Katanga before police asked him to leave the district for Napak. Visibly disappointed, Amuriat said
the police was being used to frustrate people working for change, adding that the Police
Commission was a bottleneck to democracy in Uganda.
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In Napak, Amuriat was allowed to hold a public rally in an open ground in
Kangole but again police stopped people from reaching the ground. They kept the
public away until Amuriat completed his campaigns and left for Kotido district.
Speaking to a controlled crowd, Amuriat promised to reduce poverty in Karomoja
and northern Uganda through affirmative action. Amuriat also pledged to find a
lasting solution to cattle raids by improving security and dialogue with armed
pastoral communities.
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Cue out: among tribes in Karamoja.”//
He urged the Karimojong to support a change in government saying the current
government has failed to open dams, which are a necessity for cattle keeping,
the main economic activity of the region.
Amurait also urged voters to turn up in large numbers to cast their ballot on January
14th, 2020 and vote for change. Chemusto said police prevented
campaigns along the roadsides and in busy areas in an attempt to avoid processions
and campaigns outside the approved venues.
Stanley Ebele
Freelancer