KAMPALA – The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has summoned an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to decide the next course of action following what they described as rising cases of brutality by police against the opposition party.
FDC party spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the meeting, which will take place on Friday, November 15 at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, comes following police’s blocking of their conference last Monday.
“Following the brutality and terror unleashed by Uganda Police against FDC on November 4th in Kireka and November 6th at our headquarters, the party has summoned an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) session this Friday November 15th to decide on the next action. The FDC NEC comprises 86 top leaders and is chaired by the party President Eng. Hon. Patrick Amuriat,” he told journalists at the party offices in Najjanankumbi on Monday.
“Police targeted and nearly killed our founding President Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye while illegally and violently dispersing FDC lawful and peaceful seminar at Mandela National Stadium on November 4th,” he added.
Mr Ssemujju said they have complied with all legal requirements to host the seminar and do not expect any police interference.
“The party had complied with all legal requirements to host the seminar. We wrote to the Inspector General of Police on October 14th more than two weeks before the seminar. We paid Namboole Stadium and other service providers,” he said.
He also said all the Police officers involved in the violence have properly been identified.
“The party will decide what to do with them on Friday. Those who sprayed FDC women league leaders with poisonous chemicals on Wednesday, November 6th, have also been properly identified. We will decide what to do with them on Friday,” he added.
Mr Ssemujju also strongly condemn the brutality and terror that Police and the military unleashed on Makerere University students, journalists and other citizens in the last couple of weeks.
“There is an undeclared curfew almost at all universities in Uganda. On Tuesday, November 5th, FDC leaders including two MPs; Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda (Kira) and Michael Kabaziguruka (Nakawa) were prevented by Police from accessing Kyambogo University to address an FDC local chapter there. Students’ academic and other freedoms are being repeatedly violated by the state. Uganda is slowly but progressively descending into chaos,” he said.
