Police bans 4GC rallies in Kampala

By Innocent Anguyo & John Tatyamisa

Police in Kampala have banned all political rallies organized by members of opposition pressure group For God and my Country (4GC).

Addressing the press at Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala on Friday, Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) boss Andrew Felix Kaweesi disclosed that he was suspending activities of the group in the city indefinitely.

Police accused the group of peddling hate speech, sectarianism, violence, and attacks on government officials, adding that their activities had become a breeding ground for laying plans to sabotage city security.

Asked if it wasn’t illegal to restraint members of 4GC from exercising their constitutional right of freedom of expression, Kaweesi argued that the group was a mere resurgence of Activist For Change (A4C) that was outlawed by the Attorney General last year.

“We are suspending political rallies organized by 4GC and their members because the group is a recycling of the same people from A4C. What has come out of the rallies is a direct contradiction of what they say in their letters seeking permission to organize the rallies,” said Kaweesi.

“The rallies have become concerts for political opponents to incite violence, name call, abuse the president and instigate a sense of hatred among the public based on sectarian tendencies,” he reiterated.

Kaweesi noted that police was charged with the constitutional mandate of maintaining law and order and as such would not allow the 4GC leaders to raise ire the city and insult the president and other government officials.

He identified some of the members of the group as Kampala lord mayor, Erias Lukwago; Kyadondo East MP, Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda; Butambala MP, Muwanga Kivumbi; Masaka municipal MP, Mathias Mpuuga; Mukono municipal MP, Betty Nambooze among others.

In the past, former Forum For Democratic Change leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and Kawempe Mayor Munyagwa Mubarak have also being linked to the group.

“We have been lenient to them (4GC) but this leniency has been abused. This time around we are going to be extremely hard because they have taken us for granted,” he warned.

 Kaweesi said police detectives had recorded some of the speeches made by members of the group especially Lukwago during two recent rallies he held at Kasubi trading Centre and Mulago hospital playgrounds and would soon summon him and other 4GC leaders to substantiate on the “subversive” statement they made.

“You can’t be a leader and tell members of the public to demolish building of your opponents. How can you stand up in public and call the Executive Director of Kampala a prostitute?” Kaweesi asked, alluding to speeches made at the above rallies.

He questioned the legitimacy of leaders who hail from regions outside Kampala to address political rallies in the city saying such a move was absurd. Areas under KMP include Kampala Central; Mpigi, Mukono and Wakiso districts.

Kaweesi warned members of the public against inviting members of 4GC to make political speeches in their functions saying the former would be liable for the subversive statement made by the latter.

This ban on rallies organized by 4GC stands until the attorney general lifts the ban on A4C, according to Kaweesi.