Museveni Party, Rally Blocked

Feb 27, 2001

THE Police have blocked a party organised by the Elect Museveni Mbarara branch task force at Kakyeeka Stadium today, reports James Mujuni.

THE Police have blocked a party organised by the Elect Museveni Mbarara branch task force at Kakyeeka Stadium today, reports James Mujuni. Maj. Gen. Salim Saleh, currently in western Uganda canvassing support for candidate Yoweri Museveni, was scheduled to officiate at the party that would also double as a mini-rally. The Southwestern Regional Police Commander, Mr. Stephen Okwalinga, said yesterday that the celebration would disrupt a rally by candidate Kizza Besigye scheduled for the afternoon at Boma Grounds. Sources said the organisers of the celebration had secured about 15 head of cattle and an unknown amount of sodas. Okwalinga said a physical encounter between Besigye and Museveni supporters in Mbarara could spark off a fierce fight. "We have requested the organisers of the celebration at Kakyeka to re-consider their plans. The day had been requested by the Besigye campaign task force, so we cannot allow a function of a similar purpose in the same place," Okwalinga said. The Mbarara municipality mayor, Mr. Robert Rutehenda, who had been organising the event in conjunction with a volunteer campaign team, Nyekundire group for YKM 2001, could not be reached for comment. Meanwhile, angry pro-Besigye supporters converged at the task force office on Bananuka Drive yesterday after their chief mobiliser and planner, Hajji Edrisa Mbabari, announced that he was leaving their camp. In a hand-written statement to the press, Mbabari said, "This is my free will for the betterment of Uganda." He did not say if he was joining another camp. Meanwhile, the deputy chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Florence Nkurukenda, has directed the Rukungiri district returning officer to ensure that other campaign task forces do not interfere with March 3, which was booked by Kizza Besigye. Nkurukenda said she had received reports that there were announcements being run on the local FM radio in the district that some task forces were planning to hold rallies on March 2, 3 and 4. "The Electoral Commission is asking you to ensure that this date (March 3) which has been booked by Col. Kizza Besigye, is not interfered with by any other task force," Nkurukenda said. Ends

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