Kizza Besigye and Police dilemma

By David Mukholi

On April 5th, Police blocked former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate from driving through Kampala on his way to the party headquarters at Najjanankumbi on Entebbe Road.

As he drove from his home, throngs of his supporters followed him and soon a procession formed. To avert chaos in the city centre Police asked him to use Yusufu Lule Road, which he refused and he was arrested.

He, however, was not taken to court but instead held at Naggalama Police Station before being escorted back to his home. It reads like a written script repeated over and over.

As a politician, Besigye is playing politics. During his presidential campaign he warned that his would be a ‘defiance campaign'. He is determined to disobey laws and orders including directions to use alternative routes as was the case on Tuesday (April 5th). His defiance is also mirrored in the rejection of the February 18 presidential election results and demanding an independent audit, which he clearly knows has no legal provision.

In absence of a law, no institution has powers to order an audit. The closest to it is a court order for a recount, which is now not possible after the Supreme Court dismissed Amama Mbabazi's petition seeking the nullification of the election results.

Since there is no law providing for an independent audit, it follows that there are no prescribed procedures. Therefore there is no authorised body to call for an audit, constitute the audit team and manage the audit exercise.

But the call for an audit has become a politicking slogan to rally support. Since the audit cannot be carried out, it is now one of Besigye and the opposition's point to fight government. The gullible population is made to believe that government is reluctant to allow an independent audit of the elections because it is hiding something.

Civil society activists are already pushing for the ‘independent audit' to prove whether the elections were clean or rigged. But in reality this is part of the defiance campaign.

From his statements, Besigye is determined to continue with his defiance campaign. He will continue disregarding Police orders aware that he will get arrested, held and not charged but gain publicity. The scheme is to appear a victim, for now, to win sympathy.

Besigye is rightly saying his freedom is being curtailed and argues that his supporters on their own volition follow him and they also have a right and freedom to do so. But tacitly he is encouraging them to turn up wherever he goes and consequently keeping the Police busy.

"I am after the struggle to regain people's freedom and will not give up," Besigye told journalist at his home when reacting to Police blocking him from driving through Kampala on his way to the FDC headquarters. But there is a dilemma. Besigye must have his freedom to move, meet his supporters and attend to his private business in the city centre. Also his supporters have the freedom to follow him and listen to him. But the Police also have the duty to keep law and order. And also expect any law abiding citizen to heed their orders.

Whereas the focus is on Besigye it is important to interrogate the intentions of his supporter. Partly they are the reason why his freedom is being violated. Are they his genuine supporters? How can they possibly abandon their business/work to follow a man whose mission is to become President? How do they benefit from following Besigye?

How do they earn a living? Why can't he tell them to stop following him? In the Western world where the right of expression and freedom is well developed people march on the streets peacefully make their point and go home. But in a country like Uganda it is different. The well-intentioned will be joined by those with ill-motives and cause havoc.

Some are likely to take advantage of processions or rallies to disrupt business and possibly loot shops and offices. Besigye can safely argue that it is not him but rather the Police that has to provide security. But on the other hand Police also has a point to request Besigye to seek permission for processions and also accept when directed not to take a particular route.

Besigye has a following. After all, some 3,508,687 million voted for him. A small fraction of them, say 10,000, if not orderly would shut down Kampala. It would get worse if wrong elements infiltrated them and went on a looting spree. This is why Police is determined to enforce law and order. But Besigye is also determined to exercise his right and freedom.

The standoff will soon gravitate into calls for dialogue and government of national unity, in which opposition members are included. It makes a case for political jobs.

Twitter - dmukholi