Shop owners operating
on various streets of Kagadi and Hoima have closed their businesses ahead of
campaign Rallies for Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, Presidential
candidate of the National Unity Platform-NUP party.
Kyagulanyi is
set to address rallies in Muhoro and Kagadi Model Primary school on Wednesday
morning before he proceeds to Kibaale, Kakumiro, Kikuube and Hoima for other
rallies.
However,
before his rallies, several businesses have been closed in the two towns.
In Kagadi
town, several shops along Market, Kabalega and
Mugenyi streets had closed by 9AM amidst tight police deployment.
John Seguya
who has an electronic shop along Kabalega street says he has opted to stay home
since Kyagulanyi’s rallies in various parts of the country have ended in chaos and he anticipates the same could happen in Kagadi.
//cue in;”Ffe
nga basubuzi…
Cue out:…olwalero
mu town.”//
Rose Kusiima who operates a retail shop along
Kabalega street says they anticipate chaos in the town center as Kyagulanyi
holds rallies in the area adding that she closed her shop to secure her business premises from being destroyed.
Joseph
Ndahura who operates a mobile money outlet in Muhoro says he has been compelled
to close his business premises after witnessing heavy deployment of UPDF and
Anti-riot police.
//cue in;”so
kiro kinu…
Cue out:…nitu
hura ahandi.”//
Jane Karungi
who owns a Produce store in Kiryatete along the Hoima-Fortportal road says she
cannot open her store since Kiryatete is ever the epicenter of chaos by NUP
supporters.
//cue in;”Itwe
nka business…
Cue out:…Lero
ku kingura.”//
Joseph
Kabirit, the Chairperson Business Community Muhooro says most traders are
fearing to operate today since they anticipate chaos. He however says with the
deployment of UPDF and the police there may not be much violence.
//cue in;”Abantu
abandi abo…
Cue out:..itwe
police eroho.”//
Stephen Kamar,
the Kagadi District Police Commander-DPC calls for calm among the business
communities and the entire people of Kagadi saying police is in control to
secure them with their property.
//cue in;”we
are securing…
Cue out:…of
themselves.”//
Meanwhile
Hundreds of Kyagulanyi’s supporters took to the Kagadi-Muhooro-Kyenjojo
road to go and welcome him at Musizi bridge which is 15KM away from Kagadi
town.
The supporters were being escorted by police and the Uganda peoples
defense forces UPDF-soldiers.
Okello Emmanuel
Gerald Abitegeka
Freelancer