Karamoja NUP coordinator arrested for posting videos on social media wearing military attire
Police in Moroto have arrested a National Unity Platform coordinator for posting a video on social media donning military attire.
According to the deputy Police spokesperson, Polly Namaye, they carried out a joint security operation in Camp Swahili South division in Moroto municipality that led to the arrest of Andrew Angulo Lokong, the NUP coordinator for Karamoja region.
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“This follows a series of videos that were seen making rounds on social platforms this week, showing youths dressed in clothes similar to government stores (military attire). The suspect has been charged and is detained at Moroto Police Station,”Namaye said.
The deputy police spokesperson said further investigations into the matter are still ongoing to bring all culprits to book.
“Military uniform or clothes similar to it, or any other government stores for that matter are a prerogative of the government and should no be abused in any way.”
Last month, security raided National Unity Platform offices in Kamwokya and other parts of the city where several people were arrested and other military attires confiscated.
However, a number of people have since said that the recent security raid in various parts of the city was only meant to curtail the National Unity Platform and their red attire including berets and overalls that had become popular especially among the youths.
The UPDF, however, said it is only taking back what it belongs to them.
“Due to continued illegal use of military and police stores and other military/police patented designs, a joint operation is ongoing to recover the same from the public. All in possession of such items are encouraged to voluntarily return them,”Brig. Byekwaso said shortly after the security personnel raid on NUP offices.
The National Unity Platform on Tuesday said they will not stop wearing their red attires including berets.
“When you read the UPDF Act, it talks about the badge which is referred to as the insignia. The badge is what matters and if these berets had a police or UPDF insignia, then you can not wear it. These berets have a People Power badge and they belong to us,” Joel Ssenyonyi, the NUP spokesperson said.
Section 170(2) of the Penal Code Act says that any person who, without the authority of the persons upon whose application an order under this section has been made, uses or wears any uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark described in the order, or any uniform, badge, button or another distinctive mark so closely resembling the same as to lead to the belief that it is a uniform, badge, button or another distinctive mark so described, commits a misdemeanour
The Penal Code Act, however, doesn’t specify the punishment for this offence but says “when any person is convicted of any offence under this section, the uniform, badge, button or another distinctive mark in respect of which the offence has been committed shall be forfeited unless the Minister shall otherwise order.”
