Summary:
- The demonstration was aimed at protesting the alleged failure of district leaders to rehabilitate the multipurpose building in Nyamwamba Division, Kasese Municipality.
KASESE: Police in the Rwenzori East policing region, Kasese District, have refused to grant permission to FDC members to hold a planned peaceful demonstration.
The demonstration was aimed at protesting the alleged failure of district leaders to rehabilitate the multipurpose building in Nyamwamba Division, Kasese Municipality.
The FDC members had planned to march to the district headquarters, accusing the leadership of neglecting the multipurpose hall, leading to vandalism.
They argued that this neglect forced the district to hire a private hotel for council meetings, resulting in the misuse of taxpayers’ money.
The opposition members also claimed that the district leadership had failed to address corruption issues within the District Service Commission.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday evening at Virina Gardens in Kasese town, SP Luke Mbusa, the Rwenzori East Regional Community Liaisons Officer, emphasized that the demonstration would not be allowed as it had not been cleared by the Inspector General of Police.
SP Mbusa directed divisional commanders in Hima, Katwe, Bwera, and Kasese to arrest anyone participating in the unlawful demonstration and charge them accordingly.
Ronald Bwambale Kabuku, the Kasese District FDC Chairperson, later told the press that after an online meeting with party members, they decided to temporarily halt the demonstration.
According to Kabuku, the decision was influenced by a letter from the Clerk to the District Council stating that future council sittings would not be held in a hotel.
Elias Byamungu, the Kasese Chief Administrative Officer, informed reporters last Friday that he would no longer approve payments to the hotel owner, highlighting that the district has several public spaces owned by the Government of Uganda.
He also mentioned that the district had allocated funds for renovating the multipurpose building in their current budget.
