Police arrest Kyagulanyi in Luuka over campaign directives

Nov 18, 2020

The National Unity Platform presidential flagbearer reportedly declined to follow directives issued by the Police.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

Police arrested the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi in Luuka district on Wednesday after he reportedly declined to follow directives issued by them.

Police also blocked Kyagulanyi and his supporters from holding a rally in Luuka district.

Security sources told New Vision that they were prompted to block the rally after NUP officials disagreed with Police on the issue of venue and the size of the crowd.

The standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent the spread of coronavirus were not observed at Kyagulanyi's rally in Luuka

Some had to find a strategic spot to catch a glimpse of the NUP presidential candidate

Several residents are reported to have been injured in the ensuing stampede after Police ordered them to vacate the field where the rally was to take place.

Security personnel then reportedly surrounded Kyagulanyi's car and blocked it from leaving the scene. Kyagulanyi was then reportedly pulled out of his car. He was reportedly transferred to Nalufenya Police Station in Jinja.

It was not yet clear whether he would be detained but sources confirmed he had been brought aboard a police patrol car.

Several of his supporters swarmed Nalufenya but were kept away.

Some of the people in the crowd felt the painful effects of the tear gas

KCCA councillor and NUP member Muhammad Ssegirinya took cover when tear gas was fired

Here is what we know

Meanwhile, some members of Kyagulanyi's inner circle were injured as Police blocked his rally.

Among those injured include Ashraf Kasirye, who is part of his press unit and Edward Rodgers Sebuufu, also commonly addressed as Eddie Mutwe, one of his bodyguards, who attempted to block the presidential candidate's arrest.

The arrest followed a disagreement between Police and Kyagulanyi over where their rally in Luuka should be held. The national Electoral Commission banned processions and Police accused the Kyagulanyi campaign team of defying the directive.

Sources noted that Kyagulanyi's rally in Busia on Tuesday sparked off today's blockade in Luuka after reports emerged that some of those in the crowds had sneaked in from neighbouring Kenya to attend his rally.

This, sources said, led to the directive to further urge the NUP leader to adhere to the EC and health ministry guidelines of having not more than 200 people at any given rally.

During Wednesday's altercation, Kasirye was injured as he attempted to record the events while Mutwe was injured as he blocked Police from arresting Kyagulanyi.

Kasirye and Mutwe were taken to the nearby Luuka hospital for treatment while others who were arrested were whisked away to hospital.

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