Police deploys in Mbale ahead of Mbabazi visit

By Simon Masaba

The police chief in charge of operations, Felix Kaweesi, has vowed to arrest former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, if he dares step in Mbale for the planned consultation meetings regarding his presidential bid.

"If Mbabazi comes to conduct unlawful meetings, he shall be arrested," Kaweesi said in an interview with New Vision early Wednesday.

The police, Kaweesi said, have deployed enough officers to foil the arranged meetings.

"I have camped in Mbale to ensure total law and order. No one shall dare disturb and distort peace in the area."

Hundreds of the officers are already deployed around the planned venues of the meet within Mbale region.

'Illegal meeting'
 

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Here, Mbabazi addressing a press conference at his residence in Kampala on July 6, 2015. (Credit: Wilfred Sanya)

Earlier this week, Police force spokesperson, Fred Enanga said: "We shall show Mbabazi who knows the law better if he dares hold meetings in Mbale."

Enanga made this firm proclamation on Monday while addressing journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru, Nakawa division, Kampala.

On Tuesday, lawyers representing Mbabazi met the police to resolve their disagreement over the public order management law, a meeting that ended without a breakthrough on the matter of contention.

Fred Muwema, a lawyer representing Mbabazi, said the deputy Inspector General of Police, Okoth Ochola, did not give a conclusive answer since he only represented police chief, Gen. Kale Kayihura.

Enanga, who addressed the media after the meeting, reiterated Kayihura's stand that was contained in Kayihura's letter dated June 23 to Mbabazi.

Kayihura argued that after consulting the NRM and the Electoral Commission, police found that Mbabazi's intention to hold the meeting was illegal.

"Your party has neither sponsored nor endorsed you as an aspirant within the meaning of the NRM constitution and law and that you have no locus stand to hold public meetings as a prospective presidential flagbearer of the NRM and/ or presidential aspirant and that your aspirations are illegal," reads Kayihura's missive.

On Monday Mbabazi, addressing a press conference, vowed to proceed with his planned countrywide consultations, arguing that police under the law have no powers to stop his meetings.



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