Kitgum Resident District Commissioner (RDC) William Komakech has blocked the National Unity Platform presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine from campaigning in the district.
According to the Electoral Commission (EC) programme, Kyagulanyi was meant to start his campaigns on Wednesday from Kitgum but this was not possible as the area RDC and police denied Kyagulanyi venue.
The area RDC Komakech insisted that Kyagulanyi should hold his campaign in a hotel that was designated for him, far away from Kitgum town, something the NUP leader argued against.
According to Kyagulanyi, authorities in Kitgum first told him that his programme in the district was clashing with that of another presidential candidate until he consulted the Electoral Commission, which cleared him.
Kyagulanyi said that on Wednesday morning, their motorcade was blocked and denied entry.
“So we got to Kitgum this morning and found a roadblock at the entrance to the district. They said they had orders that we don’t step in the district,” Kyagulanyi said.
Kyagulanyi added that the hotel where they wanted him to go, was owned by an NRM chairperson and that police, on orders of the RDC blocked them from proceeding to Kitgum town where they had planned to hold their scientific rally.
“But the people of Kitgum resisted this illegal conduct and swarmed us. Consequently, we have not held our campaign meeting as planned, but the people of Kitgum spoke loud and clear!,”
By the time of compiling this report, Kyagulanyi had left Kitgum for Pader where he is expected to hold a campaign and later on finish the day in Gulu.
