Rugunda advises on demonstrations
Mar 29, 2005
INTERNAL Affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has advised against further public demonstrations in the city over the proposed amendment of the Constitution to lift presidential term limits.
By Henry Mukasa
INTERNAL Affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has advised against further public demonstrations in the city over the proposed amendment of the Constitution to lift presidential term limits.
“Now that the two parties to the constitutional amendment contention have expressed their opinions through public debate and demonstrations, a multiplicity of public demonstrations could be a recipe for disturbance of law and order,†Rugunda said in a statement yesterday.
“Since the matter is before Parliament, interested parties are advised to present their views through their MPs,†Rugunda added.
He said while it was crucial that people play a more active role in determining the future of the country during the transition, they needed to do so in an organised manner.
He said the Government was committed to the achievement of a peaceful political transition.
“The two peaceful demonstrations on the streets is one of the examples of this political commitment,†he said.
Rugunda’s advise comes when a new pressure group, Forces for Change headed by former External Security Organisation chief, David Pulkol and Nasser Sebaggala, was planning an anti-third term demonstration tomorrow. The Uganda Young Movements and the Movement Voice groups have also scheduled demonstration on Friday.
On Monday last week supporters of the kisanja (third term) demonstrated against utterances made by the Irish Star Bob Geldof against the removal of presidential term limits.
Geldof lashed out at President Yoweri Museveni during the launch on the Commission for Africa report. On Thursday the group of six main political parties demonstrated in support of Geldof’s utterances. He laid organisers for being peaceful.
“It is, however, important to appreciate that demonstrations are not the only means of expressing strongly-held views. Besides, demonstrations at times inconvenience lawful activities of other people, especially in urban centres.â€
He said traders had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, expressing their grievances against demonstrations which resulted in their shops being broken into and generally disrupting their business activities.
INTERNAL Affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has advised against further public demonstrations in the city over the proposed amendment of the Constitution to lift presidential term limits.
“Now that the two parties to the constitutional amendment contention have expressed their opinions through public debate and demonstrations, a multiplicity of public demonstrations could be a recipe for disturbance of law and order,†Rugunda said in a statement yesterday.
“Since the matter is before Parliament, interested parties are advised to present their views through their MPs,†Rugunda added.
He said while it was crucial that people play a more active role in determining the future of the country during the transition, they needed to do so in an organised manner.
He said the Government was committed to the achievement of a peaceful political transition.
“The two peaceful demonstrations on the streets is one of the examples of this political commitment,†he said.
Rugunda’s advise comes when a new pressure group, Forces for Change headed by former External Security Organisation chief, David Pulkol and Nasser Sebaggala, was planning an anti-third term demonstration tomorrow. The Uganda Young Movements and the Movement Voice groups have also scheduled demonstration on Friday.
On Monday last week supporters of the kisanja (third term) demonstrated against utterances made by the Irish Star Bob Geldof against the removal of presidential term limits.
Geldof lashed out at President Yoweri Museveni during the launch on the Commission for Africa report. On Thursday the group of six main political parties demonstrated in support of Geldof’s utterances. He laid organisers for being peaceful.
“It is, however, important to appreciate that demonstrations are not the only means of expressing strongly-held views. Besides, demonstrations at times inconvenience lawful activities of other people, especially in urban centres.â€
He said traders had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, expressing their grievances against demonstrations which resulted in their shops being broken into and generally disrupting their business activities.