By Witnessradio.org Team
Politicians and civil society organizations are counting loses as police continues to foil rallies and meetings on the age-limit bill before parliament.
Despite clearance by parliament for MPs to consult their constituents on the bill, several meetings have been blocked including one organized by the parliamentary committee on Human rights and Uganda National NGO Forum.
Lubaga North MP Moses Kasibante whose meeting was foiled last week says they continue to lose money whenever their activities are stopped. “In Kasubi where we organized our first rally, the public address system was destroyed, people were injured in the scuffle, and this results into medical costs because you can’t dump them at the scene.” The legislator said.
He says what bothers him is the fact that the meetings and rallies that were allowed by parliament are blocked by police pitting government organizations against one another.
Kasibante is just one the many MPS that have tested the wrath of security agencies. Allan Ssewanyana who is the Makindye West representative says police officers led by Siraje Bakaleke rounded him up even before he could talk to his voters. “They just stormed the scene and started beating up people, many were arrested, I was myself roughed up and arrested…. This is so illegal.” Said Ssewanyana adding that this has instilled a lot of fear in the masses and many now fear turning up for the meetings called. “This is a calculated move by government to fail us from reaching out to the people…”.
Other rallies that were foiled include those organized by Makindye East MP Ibrahim Kasozi in Kabalagala and Gaba where police led by the Kabalagala DPC, Mugerwa used teargas to disperse the crowds. Similarly other rally organized by Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda in Kireka was dispersed by police using teargas. Several rallies against the age limit bill have been held nationwide in Jinja, Rukungiri, Mbale,Karamoja, Mityana, and in the greater Masaka region among others.
Politicians are not the only ones affected here, a meeting organized by the NGO Forum and the parliamentary committee on Human rights was blocked at last minute due to lack of clearance from the police. The meeting that was organized at Muganzirwazza building for civil society organizations, politicians and members of parliament did not take off after police surrounded the area. Katwe DPC Frantile Lwamusaayi who led the operation said the organizers of the meeting had not sought police clearance. However according to the executive Director FIDA Uganda, Irene Ovonji, this was uncalled for and the police erred in stopping the meeting.
The coordinator of the meeting by the NGO Forum, Ceasar Mukasa says they had paid for the hall to have the meeting at Muganzirwazza and only informed at the last minute by the managers that they needed a clearance letter from police. “We paid full amount and got receipts but Namulondo investments that manages the building now says, we need clearance…this is all not very clear. We had already paid for the public address system, the food for the attendants of the workshop and all this is wasted, Namulondo has also refused to refund the money…” Mr. Mukasa said.
He however says they will not heed to government’s pressure blocking them from reaching out to the people and more meetings have been organized across the country in areas of Mbale, Mbarara,Jinja, and Gulu among others.
Efforts to speak to the management of Namulondo investments were futile after the marketing Manager, Ssenyonjo Allan promised to get back to us in vain.
