HOIMA – Police on Wednesday and Thursday blocked rallies and radio shows organized by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party in Hoima and Kiboga districts.
In Hoima, FDC leaders, including President Patrick Amuriat and Ms Ingrid Turinawe, were pulled out of a radio talk show on Hoima FM while police supervised their meeting with Bunyoro FDC leaders at Tik hotel in Hoima town.
Whereas FDC claimed they had written to the IGP about the meeting, Police led by the Albertine Regional Police Commander Mr. Deo Obura insisted that Police did not receive any prior notice about the FDC activities to enable police to provide them with security and maintain law and order.
FDC officials insisted and proceeded with the meeting in the Tik hotel conference room but Police kept a close eye on them.
Albertine regional Police spokesperson Julius Hakiza said Police did not expect FDC to hold a rally and a procession through Hoima town without giving Police prior notice.
“We discussed with them but we later left them to proceed with their meeting but we insisted that they should not hold a rally or procession in town” Hakiza said on Thursday.
However, in the evening, the FDC president and other FDC officials were blocked from holding a talk show on Radio Hoima.
At about 8 pm, the FDC president, Ms. Turinawe, Mr Kalyegira and other FDC officials went to radio Hoima for the talk show but the radio managers denied them to access the airwaves as Police surrounded the radio station which is located on Wright Road.
Albertine Police spokesperson Mr. Julius Hakiza said Police blocked the show because “We never wanted them to incite violence”
He claimed that Police has intelligence information that indicates that FDC wants to use radios in inciting the public.
Mr. Amuriat said Police came to intimidate a meeting that was legally constituted and the Police national headquarters was fully notified.
“We shall not allow anybody to infringe on our rights. As a political party, we know our rights and we shall continue to defend them” Amuriat said.
In Kiboga district, police fired teargas and live bullets as they battled FDC supporters who had turned up for a party meeting in Kiboga Town. Mr. Amuriat and Ms. Turinawe were arrested and later released in the evening.