Brig Ali gives last warning

* Presidential aspirants face arrest iif they don't stop campaignin By Jossy Muhangi THE Government has issued the last warning to presidential aspirants who are campaigning before nomination and approval by the Electoral Commission. Second Deputy Premier Brigadier Moses Ali said yesterday any aspirant who broke the directive would be arrested and prosecuted. "I have directed the Police to deal with any deliberate defiance of the law. My instruction still stands. What they are doing is causing commotion in the public for nothing. We can't let this happen. None of these people are candidates yet. I am warning them for the last time," Ali said. Moses Ali, who is also the minister of Internal Affairs, first issued the warning on Friday. He said yesterday, "The Inspector General of Police (John Kisembo) has just been briefing me about what happened over the weekend. We have received some reports of some people campaigning before they are nominated and approved by the Electoral Commission. They are diverting people from productive work. We are watching them." "Why are they defying the law? We expect them to respect it. This country has suffered at the hands of anarchists. We can't let this happen again. We are going to ensure that law and order are maintained," he said. Samia-Bugwe North MP Aggrey Awori, who has announced his intention to stand for president in the polls next year, on Sunday held a campaign rally attended by hundreds of people in his hometown of Busia. The Police did not stop the rally, saying Awori was in his constituency and had the right to address "his people as their MP." Dr. Col. (rtd) Kiiza Besigye, former Kampala Mayor Nasser Sebaggala, Kibirige Mayanja of Justice Forum, Nelson Ocheger of Action Party and Chapaa Karuhanga of the National Democrats Forum have also announced their plans to replace President Yoweri Museveni. The candidates have vowed to defy the ban, saying it is illegal. Ali, the MP for East Moyo, said, "The ban on presidential campaigns is not my individual decision nor a deliberate attempt by the Executive or the President to block opposition. It is the law of Uganda which states that no one is permitted to campaign before he or she is nominated by the Electoral Commission." Ali, who was addressing residents of Ofua sub-county, Adjumani district on Sunday, said, "The law will take its natural course if the Government's directive is defied." The Adjumani LC5 chairman, Nixon Owole, hailed Ali for "his full time commitment in the Movement government and contribution to local and national development." Ends.