Police officers who enforce Covid-19 guidelines selectively are enemies of NRM- Lumumba

The NRM Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba has said police officers who are selectively enforcing Ministry of Health guidelines meant to prevent the spread of Coronavirus are doing a disservice to the ruling party.

Addressing journalists on Sunday, Lumumba said it makes no sense for officers to fail to enforce the set guidelines in the name of trying to please members of the ruling party.

“NRM members are not above the law. They can also contract covid-19. The laws that govern politicians on public meetings also govern NRM. Any enforcement officer who thinks he is favouring NRM by not enforcing the law is not favouring us. He wants NRM people to contract covid-19, suffer the consequences and may bring in loss of life,” Lumumba said.

“You may assume you are favouring them because it is the party in leadership but you are doing a disservice. You are the number one enemy for NRM if you don’t enforce the guidelines.”

The NRM Secretary-General urged top police commanders to ensure the guidelines are enforced to the latter but warned that officers who don’t want to heed to the same should better leave the force.

“Don’t favour anybody; we should all be treated equally. I ask the IGP that if there is any police officer who does not want to do his job well, he is not serving Uganda. Let him face the wrath of law. Let other people who want to join the force and serve the county diligently be recruited.”

Lumumba’s comments come on the backdrop of accusations from members of the public, especially from the opposition who have castigated police for dispersing their gatherings for not following Covid-19 guidelines but turn a blind eye to those organized by the ruling party.

Despite processions during the nomination of presidential candidates being banned by the Electoral Commission, a group dressed in NRM yellow T-shirts were seen making processions in various parts of the city as their presidential candidate, Yoweri Museveni was being nominated at Kyambogo.

However, there was chaos at Kisekka market when the procession was hurled with stones and other beaten by groups of other people who accused police and other security agencies of selectively enforcing the guidelines.

The following day, processions for National Unity Platform’s Robert Kyagulanyi and FDC’s Patrick Oboi Amuriat were teargassed by police for not following the election guidelines.