Minister Amongi's meeting shut down by Police in Lira

The Police on Saturday, December 30, deployed heavily at former president Milton Obote’s family home at Senior Quarters, East Division, Lira City in Lira District, to halt a meeting convened by gender and labour minister Betty Amongi, which they said was being conducted unlawfully. 

Armed Police led by Lira City Central District Police Commander (DPC), Abel Ruganza, stormed the home at around 1:30 pm and stopped the meeting that reportedly brought together local council leaders from the city. 

This was done on the orders of the Lira Resident City Commissioner, Lawrence Emmy Egole, who said the meeting was unlawful and that security organs in Lira, and at regional and national level, were not aware. 

Obote’s family home is located about 1km away from the city centre where the former president’s son and Lira East MP Jimmy Akena, also the Uganda People’s Congress party president, resides when he is in the constituency. 

Numbering about 30, the policemen, arrived at the residence when Akena’s spouse and Oyam South MP, Amongi, was addressing the gathering. 

Akena was also attending the meeting which was being held in the shade at the compound behind the main building. 

DPC Ruganza immediately ordered Amongi to stop the meeting saying it was being conducted illegally and that security wasn’t notified about it. 

Amongi reportedly engaged Ruganza in a verbal exchange asking him what motive was for stopping the meeting but the DPC maintained his orders, bringing the meeting which had attracted over 200 people to a premature close. 

In August 2023, Amongi expressed interest in contesting for the Lira City Woman MP seat currently occupied by Dr Jane Ruth Aceng who doubles as the Minister of Health. 

Since then, Amongi has been hosting numerous events in Lira City, predominantly those under the gender ministry. 

In a press statement issued by Lira City Resident City Commissioner, Lawrence Egole on Friday, December 29, without getting into specifics and providing names, said some political groups were organising the meeting with the local council Is and IIs of the villages and parishes within Lira City. 

Egole said security had not been notified about the meeting and that hosting such meetings in the city would be illegal and turn into a criminal liability both to the organisers and the attendants. 

Upon hearing the security warning, Minister Amongi issued a statement to some media houses in Lira insisting that she would hold a meeting on Saturday with the LCs to get their feedback on government programmes and that security at the national level was notified.  

Egole confirmed that he was the one who ordered the Police to disperse the meeting, insisting that it was unlawfully convened. 

“As the head of security in the city, I had no option rather than stopping the illegal meeting,” Egole noted, and strongly warned residents against participation in unlawful assemblies.