Mafabi cautions police on law of assembly

POLITICS   IPOD

KAMPALA - The Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) Council Chairperson Nandala Mafabi has condemned brutality used by police and other security organs under the guise of the Public Order Management Act (POMA).

Mafabi the Member of Parliament for Budadiri County West in Sironko District made these remarks while addressing the media at the IPOD head office in Ntinda.

"The police and other security agencies have continued to violate, break up and disperse legitimate meetings of the opposition political parties and other political actors in the name of enforcing POMA, whereas the Constitution emphasizes freedom of association, assembly and expressions," Mafabi said.

Mafabi said; "When the first IPOD meeting was held in December 2018, President Museveni agreed that there was the need for the review of POMA with a view to harmonizing its interpretation and implementation. 

Mafabi revealed that in an earlier meeting they had with Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, they agreed on harmonizing the interpretation of POMA. "We agreed on drafting new regulations that will regulate the implementation of POMA," he said.

"There is a wide consensus among all stakeholders that POMA requires political parties to notify the police about their planned activities as opposed to seek permission to hold these activities.

We are calling upon the government to respect the political rights of all citizens as enshrined in the constitution as amended," Mafabi said.

He further said that they are going to work with all Ugandans of goodwill to promote interparty and cross-generational dialogue for peaceful engagement in the coming 2021 elections.