Museveni ‘invades’ Ssebaana
Feb 05, 2006
The Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate, John Ssebaana Kizito, was on Friday forced to cancel his campaign in West Nile after President Yoweri museveni took his to the same region.
By Frank Mugabi
The Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate, John Ssebaana Kizito, was on Friday forced to cancel his campaign in West Nile after President Yoweri museveni took his to the same region.
Crowds that had lined the streets of Pakwach town to welcome Ssebaana were taken by surprise when Museveni’s security detail, led by heavily-armed troops of the PGB and Maj. Kakooza Mutale took over the town, making quick arrangements for Museveni’s arrival.
DP officials were baffled as they kept communicating on phone, while Mutale led his troops of the Yellow band and the Yellow bus through the streets. A number of people, especially children, joined in.
Ssebaana was scheduled to start campaign in the region from Pakwach town through Nebbi, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo and Adjumani districts, but was disrupted by Museveni, who altered his Karamoja region campaign, fearing the meningitis outbreak.
Ssebaana’s campaign team said they were planning to petition the Electoral Commission over Museveni’s “intrusionâ€.
“We were not consulted by Museveni’s people. We are forced to go to a different place because definitely, our supporters will clash if we go to the same place,†the source said.
Ssebaana later took his campaign to Kiboga and Mubende when he learnt that Museveni had travelled by helicopter and reached Pakwach before him.
Many of Ssebaana’s supporters returned home, leaving the streets to NRM enthusiasts.
This was the second time Ssebaana called off his campaign in the West Nile region.
Two weeks earlier, Ssebaana was advised by his officials in Nebbi not to hold any rallies in the district because they lacked funds to mobilise party officials and supporters.
Ends
The Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate, John Ssebaana Kizito, was on Friday forced to cancel his campaign in West Nile after President Yoweri museveni took his to the same region.
Crowds that had lined the streets of Pakwach town to welcome Ssebaana were taken by surprise when Museveni’s security detail, led by heavily-armed troops of the PGB and Maj. Kakooza Mutale took over the town, making quick arrangements for Museveni’s arrival.
DP officials were baffled as they kept communicating on phone, while Mutale led his troops of the Yellow band and the Yellow bus through the streets. A number of people, especially children, joined in.
Ssebaana was scheduled to start campaign in the region from Pakwach town through Nebbi, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo and Adjumani districts, but was disrupted by Museveni, who altered his Karamoja region campaign, fearing the meningitis outbreak.
Ssebaana’s campaign team said they were planning to petition the Electoral Commission over Museveni’s “intrusionâ€.
“We were not consulted by Museveni’s people. We are forced to go to a different place because definitely, our supporters will clash if we go to the same place,†the source said.
Ssebaana later took his campaign to Kiboga and Mubende when he learnt that Museveni had travelled by helicopter and reached Pakwach before him.
Many of Ssebaana’s supporters returned home, leaving the streets to NRM enthusiasts.
This was the second time Ssebaana called off his campaign in the West Nile region.
Two weeks earlier, Ssebaana was advised by his officials in Nebbi not to hold any rallies in the district because they lacked funds to mobilise party officials and supporters.
Ends