The National Unity Platform (NUP), an opposition political party in Uganda, has decided to postpone the grand unveiling of its party headquarters in response to a directive from the Deputy Resident City Commissioner of Kawempe, Yasin Ndidde. The decision comes as a measure to protect their guests from potential security-related issues.
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the President of NUP, announced the rescheduling of the party headquarters’ inauguration. The event, originally planned for Thursday, has been moved to Friday, with the primary objective of avoiding any unnecessary security harassment.
The new NUP headquarters, located at Makerere Kavule, saw a heavy police presence on Bombo Road on the originally scheduled Thursday event. Law enforcement efforts were aimed at restricting access to the office premises. The reasons for this heightened security were detailed in a letter from the Resident City Commissioner (RCC), indicating that they could not guarantee the safety of NUP and its supporters due to President Yoweri Museveni’s attendance at another event in the same vicinity.
In an official letter addressed to NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, Ndiidde suggested that the party postpone its function to a later date. Despite this advice, the NUP remained determined to proceed with the event, a stance made evident by their preparation and setup at the venue, which included tents and chairs adorned with the party’s colors.
Nonetheless, during a speech in Kamwokya, Kyagulanyi emphasized the importance of not placing their visitors in harm’s way. He asserted that the event could proceed peacefully one day later. In response to the claim that their event was halted due to the presence of President Museveni in the area, Kyagulanyi expressed skepticism, highlighting the irony of a regime impeding an internal party function by citing insufficient security to protect the party from uninvited VIPs.
Kyagulanyi clarified that their decision was not driven by fear of security threats but by a genuine concern for the safety of their guests. He also voiced the NUP’s intention to monitor the regime’s actions and provided a glimpse into their potential response should illegal disruptions persist. He reiterated that, contrary to security claims, the NUP complies with the law and does not require permission from the police to hold public functions under the Public Order Management Act.