By Patrick Jaramogi
As the year ends with presidential campaigns reaching peak levels, Independent and Go-Forward Presidential candidate John Patrick Amama Mbabazi and his supporters had it rough as they entered Dokolo district on Monday evening.
Mbabazi who was arriving Dokolo Town council from a campaign rally in Amolatar district got the feel of tear gas dose after antiriot police fired teargas canisters at this.
Posted by Amama Mbabazi on Monday, December 28, 2015
The Dokolo district police commander Hamis Kayondo who supervised the operation said they were preventing Mbabazi and his supporters from holding the rally in Dokolo since it was past official campaign time of 5pm. Mbabazi travelling in a motorcade of 10 cars arrived Dokolo Town council at 6pm, and headed straight to hold a rally. “Mbabazi knows the stipulated time for ending campaigns set by the Electoral commission is 5pm. He arrived here at 6pm, we can’t allow him to hold any rally,” said Kayondo.
But as the crowds charged and insisted, Kayondo ordered his over 40 antiriot police to fire teargas at the supporters sending them scampering for their dear lives. Scores of supporters and local residents were injured in the melee.
Museveni warns Mayuge residents
Museveni
Meanwhile NRM presidential candidate and incumbent who addressed a mammoth rally in Mayuge district on Monday urged the locals to value developments in their areas. Museveni said government had already started tarmacking the Musita- Busia Lumino road to ease transport from the border.
Addressing the locals, Museveni said with good roads, transportation of the produce grown by the locals can be easy to the markets. He however warned those delaying the road works due to compensation to stop the practice. “The construction of the Musita Busia Lumino roads has already commenced but it may pass through some of your gardens. Please allow the road works to proceed as you wait for your compensation. You will be compensated for your land, but don’t delay the works,” said Museveni. He said he would send Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda to preside over the land wrangle and forest encroachment issue in the district.
Besigye changes campaign venue
There was drama in Arua where Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is currently campaigning when his rally slated for Arua Boma grounds was blocked and referred to Arua Golf Grounds. Police in Arua said the Boma grounds had been booked for a religious crusade. Besigye is currently in a campaign trail in west Nile.
‘We agreed that FDC president and his supporters change his rally to Arua Golf grounds to avoid necessary clashes,” said the Arua DPC.
Besigye obliged and headed to the golf ground where he assured his supporters of change come 2016.