Police block MP Odonga Otto's book launch
Oct 06, 2011
Police have blocked Aruu county Mp Odonga Otto from using the constitutional square to launch his book entitled “Tears of a war survivor”.
By Henry Sekanjako
Police have blocked Aruu county Mp Odonga Otto from using the constitutional square to launch his book entitled “Tears of a war survivor”.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said that Otto had not informed the Police in advance that he would be launching his book at the constitutional square.
“He came and wanted to launch his book at the constitutional square but as we all know this place is out of bounds to such gatherings so we asked him to take his launch else where,” he said.
However Otto who later proceeded to Parliament to launch his book said he had written to the Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura seeking permission to launch his book but got no feedback.
“I want to express my displeasure to the IGP. I wrote to him on September 30 requesting him to allow me and the media to access the constitutional square to launch my book. Launching a book is not a political activity,” he said.
“I wrote to the IGP he never replied me, Infact the DPC Central police station (CPS) told me he would have arrested me if I accessed Constitutional Square,” he added.
According to Otto, “Tears of a war survivor” shades light on the difficulties the people of Northern Uganda faced during the LRA insurgency.
He added that the book also entails testimonies of personalities such as MPs whose lives were only saved by the Uganda Peoples’ defence forces (UPDF).
“I want to thank MPs like Frank Judith Akello (Agago county)who opened up to me during my research she was forced to carry in her pockets for three days hands of some one who was cut in her presence,” he said.
Otto expressed Optimism that the book would help open the eyes of Ugandans and the world at large to know what has been happening to people in Northern Uganda.