Uganda Police Force has given Gen Mugisha Muntu and his Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) political party a go ahead to hold its public gathering during its launch scheduled for May 21.
Last month, ANT wrote a letter to Police informing them about a decision to hold a public gathering in Nsambya and a launch in Serena’s Victoria Hall on the same day.
According to Police, ANT’s letter explained everything that was required as far as Public Order Management Act (POMA) is concerned.
While addressing journalists in Kampala, Police spokesman Fred Enanga said that the leadership of ANT coordinated mutually with the Metropolitan Police officers in charge.
“They informed us what exactly they are going to do, the number of visitors they expect, they indicated their time of commencing and ending and we also look through the traffic movements both at Kampala Serena and Nsambya which were okay,” said Enanga on Monday.
He added that ANT showed them the number of ushers and stewards who are going to be on both occasions.
When asked what is so special that ANT did that other political parties have not always done, Enanga said their letter ticked all the right boxes.
“We received their latter earlier and they included everything such as time, number of people expected, and special guests. What other political parties have been doing was to write, ‘Police on such and such a day we shall hold a gathering’ without indicating other requirements,” Enanga said adding that some political parties have been doing it deliberately not to include other requirements yet they know what is required of them.
Enanga urged all other political parties to follow all processes ANT has gone through so that they can hold their gatherings without disorganization.
When this website contacted ANT’s Alice Alaso, she said they knew that Police would sabotage their launch so they decided to include everything.
“Although the act says that we should inform police seven days before the event, we decided to inform them one month earlier, and we gave them all the specifics. We told them that at Nsambya, we expect 1,200 people while at Serena 430,” she said.
Alaso added that the launch of their party is a very important issue, and they are willing to do whatever Police wants so that they don’t disorganise them on the d day.
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