Opposition chiefs announce more protests
By Timothy Nsubuga
31st Oct 2011:
Protesting opposition chiefs sprayed with pink dye
Just as they had done during the first wave of the ‘walk-to-work’ protests in April this year, all the leaders of Uganda’s top opposition parties have once again agreed to lend their individual political weight to the new wave of ‘walk-to-work’ protests being planned by the pressure group Activists for Change to take place across the country.
The party presidents of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), of the Democratic Party (DP), of Justice Forum (JEEMA), of Social Democratic Party (SDP) and of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) announced their decision after a daylong strategy meeting at FDC President Dr Kizza Besigye’s Kasangati home last Friday.
The party chiefs also announced that they had agreed to form a new committee to be constituted by their respective party Secretary Generals which will be charged with, among other things, coordinating their protest activities.
The announcement, which appears to have been carefully timed, came in the wake of a significant ruling in which the FDC leader Dr. Kizza Besigye had challenged his weeklong house arrest. The Magistrate at Kasangati Magistrates Court ruled that Dr. Besigye’s forceful confinement through what the police called “preventive arrest” was unlawful.
Court also ruled that it was unlawful for security operatives to detain Dr. Besigye at his home which is in the eyes of law, an ungazzetted place that should not be used for lawful custody.
Addressing the media after the Kasangati meeting, DP President Norbert Mao said it was imperative for the opposition to confront the current political challenges as a united front. Key among the immediate challenges that they face, Mao said, was to ensure that the Public Order Bill is not passed into law because it is prohibitive and not merely regulator in spirit.
Dr Besigye vowed to walk-to-work again today, insisting that walking is an inherent right that cannot be granted by the state. If past events are anything to go by however, it is highly unlikely that the government will allow Besigye to walk to his office at FDC party headquarters on Entebbe road. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
