The Uganda Police Force has said it will deploy heavily to maintain law and order ahead of the planned march to Parliament scheduled for tomorrow, July 23, 2024.

Police Spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke told the media in Kampala on Monday that the law enforcement remained committed to “preventing disorderly conduct and ensuring public safety.” 

“We made attempts as Uganda Police Force to dissuade the organizers from what we saw as a potentially anarchic approach,” said ACP Rusoke. 

“Following a thorough security assessment regarding the feasibility of a political process, we advised the organizers and urged them to heed our counsel. We believe we can use better methods and better approaches than marching to Parliament with unregulated numbers.”  

Police last week declared the demo ‘illegal’, warning participants of serious legal ramifications. 

But legal experts say Ugandans have a right to peacefully hold demonstrations.

The youth say they want to express themselves against deeply entrenched corruption in government that undermines public service delivery.

However, Rusoke said, “We acknowledge the existence and the entrenchment of rights of individuals, but we have a sole duty. We have a duty we cannot run away from, a duty we cannot delegate, a duty we cannot gamble over. That is the duty to keep law and order.”

Responding to criticisms that the police’s position on opposition’s public assemblies has remained unchanged for eight years, ACP Rusoke highlighted the police’s collaborative efforts with organizers of various processions and demonstrations. 

“There are several processions, several demonstrations where police have collaborated with organizers and they have gone on successfully. However, there have also been instances where situations erupted despite our collaboration.”

He continued, “We are very cautious about allowing and giving a thumbs-up to some of these occasions. We have had situations where we allow people to go freely with their business, and then situations erupt. We cannot and we cannot surrender this country to such reckless situations.”

Experts weigh in

Legal experts say police should allow minimal disruption to public order for activists to express themselves through demonstrations, a position police have rejected.

“Who on planet Earth allows such recklessness? Those streets you are calling people to occupy are the streets which evacuate the sick, are the streets which are trade environs for some circles in this city. They are streets for motorable life.”

He emphasised: “Our disagreements with these groups are essentially on methodological issues, not the principle and the rights because we understand those rights, we know them, we cherish them but we have failed to have a common ground under which those rights can easily be exercised.”

Addressing the nation on Saturday night, President Museveni accused “certain elements, including some opposition figures”, of collaborating with foreigners to incite chaos through riots and illegal demonstrations.

“If these actions continue, further measures may be taken,” he warned, adding, “These people are unfair and inconsiderate and should check themselves or we will have no alternative but to check them.”

“When you demonstrate in a place like Kampala, people are selling their products on the roadside. Are you going to step on people’s products? You are playing. Do not have such ideas in your head.” 

He advised those wishing to protest against corruption to contact Col. Edith Nakalema, who organized an Anti-Corruption Walk in 2019, to avoid disrupting city life.

The organizers of the protests say their activities will go on as planned.

By ChimpReports