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The Force revealed in a statement on their official website that they had credible intelligence that the leading opposition party was not following the guidelines agreed upon.
"As you are all aware, today marks the 7th day of the suspension of NUP mobilisation activities, following several breaches of guidelines that led to public disorder, traffic disruption and delays, loss of business, malicious damage to property, and dangerous driving causing death and injuries, among others. Like indicated, the suspension of mobilisation activities continues until the NUP leadership complies with the police guidelines and law abiding," the statement read.
It further read: "While the NUP insists that their mobilisation tours are peaceful, we had credible intelligence on how they were determined to confront police and attract ugly scenes. Their unregulated processions caused significant risk to the public, motorists, pedestrians, bystanders, and participants."
The party’s spokesperson, Joel Ssenyonyi, has, however, severally denied that the party breached the agreed-upon guidelines issued by the Police.
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The Nakawa West Constituency legislator said that all that was being done by the party president, Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, was pointing out issues affecting the people.
"The party has not breached anything. We have organised this mobilisation campaign while following the law. We have not done anything wrong, as the police would want to make the public think. I think they are looking for any reason to frustrate us. All we have done is point out issues affecting people wherever we go," he said.
At the start of the party’s national mobilisation drive, observers were surprised when the gatherings went on peacefully without any interference from the Police or any other security agency. Some, however, attributed this to the fact that the party, through some legal brains, had submitted complaints to the International Criminal Courts over what it called abuse of human rights done severally by Uganda’s security agencies under the watch of the country’s leadership.
Police, however, said that the move was deliberate to avoid "ugly scenes" with the party’s supporters, which would result in ‘bad propaganda’ against the Police and other sister security agencies.
"In the first phase, the Police and sister security agencies exercised restraint and avoided any confrontation with the NUP that could have attracted ugly scenes for publicity and negative propaganda against the Police and the country at large. In the previous NUP demonstrations, several people lost their lives; others were charged with various crimes, ranging from arson. Malicious damage, attempted murder, incitement of violence, damages to roads, assault and obstruction of officers on duty, and various traffic offences, among others. Through these acts, the demonstrators showed no respect or minimal regard towards the communities," a statement on the police official website read.
Police also cautioned the NUP against defiantly continuing with the mobilisation drive, as this would be against the stated laws of the land of Uganda.
"Although NUP has vowed to defiantly continue with its second phase of the mobilisation tour, they must be aware that under the Police Act, Sec. 32(1), the police have a duty to police public meetings in a proportionate manner. Our priority has always been to ensure that millions of Ugandans and visitors in the country enjoy a safe and secure environment."