National Unity Platform (NUP) has asked the party supporters to desist from any kind of protest.
NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi on Tuesday told journalists that they are not planning to stage any form of protest as alleged by Uganda Police and some people on social media.
Since last week, several videos and audios have been circulating on social media telling Ugandans to get ready for a massive protests that are going to take place from 3rd to 7th February. In one of the videos some people are heard cautioning business owners in Kampala city centre not to dare step their feet in the city as part of the protest plan. The perpetrators also tell Ugandans in general to stay home during those days.
On Monday while addressing journalists the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Maj Gen Paul Lokech pinned NUP members to be behind the circulating videos and audios.He, however, warned them to desist from any form of protests because they will not like what will befall them in the course of action.
“We wish to inform the public that we are aware of individuals and political groups that are promoting panic and fear, using malicious video footage and audios, to purposely intimidate and prevent them from going about their normal businesses or reporting for work the 3rd to the 7th February 2021. The audios and videos talk about people staying in their homes, stocking food and threatening all persons who will defy their alleged stay-at-home orders. The authors who are allegedly aligned to NUP indicate how the protests will transition into a mass uprising including the use of external forces to attack the government,” he said.
He said the developments by NUP of marshalling fear to rally support for street violence and civil uprising, for their selfish political advantage is not new to Police since it was used by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in the aftermath of the 2011 and 2016 general elections.
However, Ssenyonyi has rubbished Police’s claims and instead warned NUP supporters that it could be a trap to get them arrested and killed.
“Don’t get tempted to join any protest, this is a trap to kill you. No NUP leader has said that there will be a protest on 3rd tomorrow. In most cases, such information is engineered by the state to trap those on the opposition. Whatever NUP is doing in within the boundaries of the law,” he said.
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