Dr Kizza Besigye, FDC President Amuriat blocked from meeting in Kasese
Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Dr Kizza Besigye and party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat were blocked by Police from meeting their supporters in Kasese municipality on Monday afternoon. Besigye and Amuriat were confronted by a combined force of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF).
Besigye and Amuriat are part of an FDC party drive around the country to mobilise support ahead of the 2021 general elections. FDC announced this national drive to drum support for the party, register new members and connect with its party members.
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The FDC national drive has repeatedly been interrupted in Jinja, Mbale, Bushenyi, Mbarara, Kitgum and now Kasese. Police insist that FDC has not sought permission to hold these public gatherings as stipulated under the Public Order Management Act (POMA).
FDC party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat has accused the police of targeting opposition politicians while enforcing POMA.
Besigye expressed similar sentiments after the confrontation in Kasese tweeting, "Increasingly desperate: NRM/M7 Junta deployed Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AVFs) today to deal with our unarmed presence in Kasese town! It was after stopping a planned public meeting. On 19th Apr, Mr M7 addressed rallies in Kasese."
FDC's troubles came on the same day that People Power Movement leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine was charged and remanded in Luzira prison.
