Residents condemn police for blocking presidential candidates

#UGDecides2021|POLICE|RESIDENTS 

MASINDI - Residents of Masindi district have condemned the Police for blocking some presidential candidates from addressing them.

Masindi has now hosted four presidential candidates, but none of them has addressed the masses.

They are independents Joseph Kabuleta, Henry Tumukunde, John Katumba, and Forum for Democratic Change's (FDC) Patrick Oboi Amuriat who was in Masindi on Wednesday.

According to the residents, they are disappointed because no presidential candidate has been given chance to address them and yet the Electoral Commission allowed countrywide campaigns.

"We need to listen to our candidates and make the right choices. How can you vote for someone you have not listened to?" Robert Musisi, a resident of Kijura central, asked.

Alice Kyomugisa, a resident of Kihande Cell 1, in Central division Masindi municipality, said they do not know the interest of the Police.

"Police is supposed to provide security, but not blocking the presidential candidates from addressing the masses. What is the reason of campaigning?" Kyomugisa asked.

Paul Arinaitwe noted that Masindi has unique problems that need to be addressed, wondering how the presidential candidates will address them when they have not been given time to listen to the voters.

Isaac Bongmin, the FDC district chairperson, said they were supposed to address residents at Masindi Boma grounds, but that there were no people at the venue because of rain.

He said they wanted to address people at Kijura trading centre, where there were people, but the Police blocked them.

Vincent Irama, the Masindi District Police Commander, said he could not allow Amuriat to address the people at Kijura because it is a market place.

He instead advised him to go to Boma grounds, which Amuriat declined, and instead went to Buliisa. Amuriat told journalists that the people of Masindi are poor because of voting wrong leaders.

He promised to change their lives by ensuring that they benefit from their natural resources.