President Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert announced the temporary suspension of the NUP Country Wide Tour 2 following an invitation from the Uganda Police Force to engage with party leadership at the police headquarters in Naguru on Monday, May 27th, 2024.
The invitation, signed by SCP Frank Mwesigwa, known for his role in the deadly November 2020 protests, prompted the decision to halt the tour. This decision came after the NUP convoy was obstructed at Ssezibwa bridge, Kayunga Road, en route to Pallisa District. Under the command of Kayunga DPC Ms. Rosette Sikahwa, police held the entourage for over an hour, barricading both sides of the road.
Following orders from Ms. Rosette, the convoy was compelled to retreat to Kampala amid tear gas and brutality from the troops under her command. Despite the setback, supporters waved in solidarity with the NUP cause, while police dispersed bystanders with tear gas, sparking condemnation.
Returning to the party headquarters in Makerere Kavule, President Kyagulanyi addressed the media, announcing the temporary halt until May 28th when the tour would resume in Mukono, followed by Masaka on May 29th. He criticized the police’s demands as unreasonable and accused them of targeting NUP unfairly while allowing other political groups to operate freely.
“We respect the law, but we challenge the police’s biased actions,” he stated, highlighting concerns over double standards in law enforcement.
