With fears of post-election protests termed as plan B, the police have issued a strong warning that they will not take lightly those intending to engage in strikes.
The police Monday issued a strong warning that they will not handle softly any individuals found protesting in regards to the outcomes of the just concluded presidential elections.
Following the January 14 polls that saw President Museveni re-elected for a sixth term, a big section of Ugandans has since come out to cite that the elections were rigged.
Many continue to express their disappointment towards the Electoral Commission claiming that they tabulated the results to help secure victory for the incumbent.
With fears of any intended post-election protests termed as plan B, the police have issued a strong warning that they will not take lightly those intending to engage in any form of related strikes.
While addressing during a Joint Security Briefing on Monday, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Major General Paul Lokech said that they are aware of certain political groups that are circulating videos on social media platforms intending to incite violence among Ugandans.
The Deputy IGP disclosed that the footage among others talks about how they intend to mobilize simple riots that will later transition into mass protests with a transition to overthrow the government.
“We wish to inform the public that we are aware of individuals and political groups that are promoting panic and fear, using malicious video footages and audios, to purposely intimidate and prevent them from going about their normal businesses or reporting for work the 3rd to the 7th February 2021,” Maj. Gen. Lokech said.
“The audios and videos talk about people staying in their homes, stocking food and threatening all persons who will defy their alleged stay at home orders. The authors who are allegedly aligned to some opposition groups indicate how the protests will transition into a mass uprising including the use of external forces to attack government.”
He, however, warned that the police is not taking any form of threats lightly. Lokech said that they are doing everything in their capacity to ensure that the country remains in peace despite disagreements caused by the January 14 elections.
He, also, appealed to the general public not to tolerate any acts of impunity and lawlessness in their communities and also watch out for any culprits planning to burn tyres, attack other Ugandans going about with their normal businesses.
“We want to inform the public that we are taking these threats seriously and would like to assure them, that they should not be intimidated from going about their lawful businesses, because their security and safety is guaranteed. We have shown Ugandans over and over again that we would have a very peaceful election and indeed it was very peaceful,” the deputy IGP added.
“We are now doing everything within our means to keep the general public safe and secure, from all forms of violence including politics that is divisive and manipulative during this aftermath of the Elections. We further call upon all Ugandans to reject such politics of fear. The over whelming majority of Ugandans made their voices to be heard during the recent general elections.”
