Gulu consultative meeting happens without Bobi Wine as he rescues his arrested colleagues
On Tuesday 7th, January 2020, People Power Movement supporters and coordinators conducted the Gulu District consultative meeting as planned earlier in absence of their leader Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi).
The mobilisers booked De Covenant, a hangout in Layibi Division in Gulu Municipality to conduct their meeting from. The Mityana Municipality legislator, Francis Zaake is among the attendees.
Addressing a press conference in Kampala on Tuesday 7th, Bobi Wine said that he cancelled his presidential consultative meeting in Gulu, at the De Covenant to rescue his arrested colleagues that includes Joel Ssenyonyi, the People Power spokesperson.
However, he says his Wednesday meeting will continue as planned in Lira District.
“We are not going for the Gulu consultations meeting today. This is because we have to make sure our arrested colleagues are out. Our Lira consultation meeting is on because we have met all the guidelines,” Bobi Wine said.
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Bobi Wine in his remarks condemned Police brutality exerted on them and asked the government to respect the rule of law and allow them to exercise their rights freely.
“We are dealing with a government that doesn’t respect the law. We are telling President Museveni and his Police to respect the law and the ground should be levelled. We are taking you on in 2021 and we are winning,” said Bobi Wine.
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But the Aswa River Region Police spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema when contacted to tell whether the organisers of the meeting were cleared by Police, he refused to comment and said he needed more time to make consultations.
Bobi Wine who is the Kyadondo East legislator was yesterday arrested by Police and detained at Kasangati Police Post in Wakiso District along with other Movement’s coordinators and some supporters including boda boda riders.
But after some time, Bobi Wine was transferred to Nagalama Police Station in Mukono District and later on released on Monday night.
Bobi Wine’s arrest came after he showed up at Our Lady of Good Counsel Secondary School, Gayaza to launch his nationwide consultative meetings starting with his home Constituency, Kyadondo East in Wakiso District and then proceed to the Northern part of the country ahead of the 2020 general elections.
In a statement released by Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga after his arrest indicted that Bobi Wine violated some of the Public Order Management Act (POMA) provisions as regards to public meetings.
“the organisers did not avail the traffic or assembly plan, did not avail public safety before, during and after the meeting, there was adequate provision of emergency response capabilities and there was no joint coordination with Police to facilitate access control and maintain
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Sebastian Ogoni, the acting People Power Movement Northern Youth Coordinator, said that the unreasonable arrest of Bobi Wine indicates that the government is anxious about the “anticipated wind of change” blowing in Uganda.
However, commenting on the matter, Gladys Laker Otto, the Gulu District People Power Women League Chairperson asked NRM government to respect the rule of law in Uganda.
Also, in a media briefing held after Police blocked the Gayaza meeting, the executive secretary of People Power, David Louis Rubongogya said People Power is going to continue with the meetings as planned.
He said they fulfilled all the requirements and other conditions such as availing sniffer dogs and fire extinguishers are meant to be provided by Police.
“We went and complied with all the requirements, secured the venue. In most cases we had to spend a lot of money booking the venue,” Rubongogya said.
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“In People Power, we are going to continue with this programme on the dates as we have set out. It is incumbent upon the Police to abide by the law,” Rubongogya added.
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