Musumba, Police clash at FDC Namutumba rally
May 18, 2009
THE Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) vice-president, Salaamu Musumba, on Sunday criticised the Police for attempting to stop her from addressing residents of Namutumba district.
By George Bita
THE Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) vice-president, Salaamu Musumba, on Sunday criticised the Police for attempting to stop her from addressing residents of Namutumba district.
“Those guns they carry have no bullets. (President Yoweri) Museveni belittles policemen so much that he cannot even trust them with his expensive bullets,†Musumba said.
“Even their unhappy faces show they are simply being used by Museveni to oppress his opponents,†she added.
Musumba was addressing party supporters after she opened the FDC district office on Bulange Road.
Earlier, George Wandera, the district Police commander, had switched off the public address system, prompting riotous behaviour and abuses from FDC fans who had gathered to listen to Musumba.
Wandera, who kept on speaking to someone on his cell phone, allowed the machines to be switched on again and gave Musumba 30 minutes to address the crowd.
However, Musumba’s outburst annoyed Wandera, who tried to disperse the gathering in vain. “I command everybody to disperse from here. This is an illegal assembly and I am under instructions to disperse it,†Wandera shouted, but the crowd ignored him.
In response Musumba said: “We have not just seen policemen to get scared. If they want to use force we shall also use it. In any case, how many are they compared to us?â€
The Police shot in the air for the crowd to disperse, which prompted residents to retaliate by stoning the officers as they retreated to the Police station.
THE Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) vice-president, Salaamu Musumba, on Sunday criticised the Police for attempting to stop her from addressing residents of Namutumba district.
“Those guns they carry have no bullets. (President Yoweri) Museveni belittles policemen so much that he cannot even trust them with his expensive bullets,†Musumba said.
“Even their unhappy faces show they are simply being used by Museveni to oppress his opponents,†she added.
Musumba was addressing party supporters after she opened the FDC district office on Bulange Road.
Earlier, George Wandera, the district Police commander, had switched off the public address system, prompting riotous behaviour and abuses from FDC fans who had gathered to listen to Musumba.
Wandera, who kept on speaking to someone on his cell phone, allowed the machines to be switched on again and gave Musumba 30 minutes to address the crowd.
However, Musumba’s outburst annoyed Wandera, who tried to disperse the gathering in vain. “I command everybody to disperse from here. This is an illegal assembly and I am under instructions to disperse it,†Wandera shouted, but the crowd ignored him.
In response Musumba said: “We have not just seen policemen to get scared. If they want to use force we shall also use it. In any case, how many are they compared to us?â€
The Police shot in the air for the crowd to disperse, which prompted residents to retaliate by stoning the officers as they retreated to the Police station.