MP Lukyamuzi blocked from addressing evictees

By Juliet Waiswa                            

KAMPALA - Police in Ndeeba came in the way of Lubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi when he tried to address a group of people recently evicted from a railway reserve in Kampala.

The evictions took place a week ago, and those forced out of the area have since camped at the residence of the area councilor, James Ssekidde.

On Monday when Lukyamuzi attempted to speak to a crowd comprising of those affected by the evictions, Ndeeba police swung into action to block him.

The legislator pleaded with the security operatives to let him talk to the people, but in vain.

Katwe Division Police Commander, Ibrahim Saiga, was at the scene and worked with fellow policemen to lead an insistent Lukyamuzi away.

“If I cannot address my people allow me talk to the press,” the MP pleaded with the determined police, as his pleas landed on deaf ears.

A week on after being forced out of the railway reserve, the evictees are crying foul. They say they are still stranded after their makeshift shelters were brought down by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) and the Rift Valley Railway (RVR) as they await government intervention.

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MP Lukyamuzi was led into a Police vehicle and driven off. PHOTO/Ronnie Kijjambu

On his part, Ssekidde said residents are still loitering along the railway with no place to settle, and that toilets around the railway were also brought down, stranding those affected.

The councilor said the people had turned to littering the area and others becoming rapists and pickpockets.

DPC Saiga told the crowd that MP Lukyamuzi had not informed the police of his planned rally beforehand as should be.

It is required that anyone planning to stage a rally writes to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen. Kale Kayihura and await response within three days.

“It is not that we have blocked the rally but Lukyamuzi should wait until he is given clearance from the office of the IGP. He can wait until a specific day is given to him. Let him wait,” said the police commander.

The residents insist that the authorities should have given them more time to relocate from the railway reserve.

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