The American Embassy in Kampala has tasked the government to explain why it has recently blocked musical concerts and radio talk shows.
The embassy, through a statement on their social media forums also wants answers to the continued disruption of peaceful demonstrations and rallies, and why peaceful citizens are battered by heavily armed security operatives.
The queries follow Police’s high handed approach in blocking and subsequent arrest of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi on Monday morning. Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine was heading to One Love Beach in Busabala but was intercepted by hundreds of policemen, who bundled him into a police vehicle and dumped him at his residence in Magere.
Mr Kyagulanyi, who has since called for mass protests against the actions of police and other state injustices meted out on Ugandans, was scheduled to address the media about the next course after police cancelled his Kyarenga Extra concert at the beach on Easter Monday.
Police and the military have since deployed heavily at his residence since yesterday.
“They have surrounded my fence and installed barricades on all roads leading to my home. It is today when I attempted to move out of my home that the police told me that I am under house arrest. I was headed to Police headquarters in Naguru to deliver a notification about our planned peaceful demonstrations against police brutality, injustice and misuse of authority,” he said.
Other politicians to face the police’s wrath include former Forum for Democratic Change president Kizza Besigye, who, in about a fortnight, was bundled out of radio stations in Kabale, Jinja and Mubende districts. The stations were later switched off.
On Tuesday, the American Embassy posted: “Today we join the many Ugandans asking why their government has recently blocked musical concerts and radio talk shows, disrupted peaceful demonstrations and rallies, and deployed heavy-handed security forces against peaceful citizens. Uganda’s constitution guarantees freedom of assembly and expression. We echo the Ugandan people in calling on the government to respect these rights. Strong leaders and states do not stifle speech – they allow their citizens to participate fully and without fear in a vibrant multi-party democracy.”
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