BUGIRI – Opposition lynchpin Dr Kizza Besigye was on Sunday, May 10, 2020 blocked from appearing on Eastern Voice FM in Bugiri District.
The show was meant to take place between 9pm and 12am on Sunday but the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Godfrey Nyakahuma, and the District Internal Security Officer (DISO), Mr Mukasa Ssali Ronald, called it off.
“A clear display of abuse of power and violation of fundamental Human Rights. This partisan repression, regrettably, is official policy of NRM/M7 Junta. I’ve been capriciously denied access to radio programs (outside Kampala) many times,” Dr Besigye said.
“In February 2020, I was detained in Nalufenya, Jinja, for a day and driven by Police back to Kampala to stop me being hosted on Radio. Earlier, I’d also been violently evicted from NBS Radio, Jinja.
The struggle for freedom must continue till Uganda is free,” he said.
On April 4, 2019, Hope Radio in Kabale was switched off air for hosting the Forum for Democratic Change party leaders.
In Mubende on April 18, police raided Mubende FM and switched it off for hosting presidential candidate Kizza Besigye on a live talk show.
In the same month in Lira, all radio stations were warned not to host the FDC party leaders.
Opposition and police continue to fight over the interpretation and implementation of the Public Order Management Act (POMA). Whereas police insists permission has to be sought and granted first, the opposition insists they just have to notify police about their public gatherings.
