Embattled Kampala Moyor Erias Lukwago wrote to the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura requesting for permission to hold a stakeholders meeting on Monday at St. Matia Mulumba.

The police boss says the Attoney General has advised police that Lukwago does not have authority to convene the contemplated meeting as the Lord Mayor of Kampala and that such meeting is likely to cause a breach of peace.

Kayihura says police have also received information that there are political activists who have mobilized the youth to cause chaos in the city center around Kiseka market, Najjankumbi, Kireka, Owino and other places to coincide with same meeting.

He says meetings have been held in various places; planning and coordinating how to engage in criminal activities like causing chaos, engaging in burning and destroying properties.

“We have also received information that opposition politicians plan to stage a kidnap of either a member of Lukwago’s family or his deputy so that they blame it on the government. The main purpose is to cause mayhem and disrupt normal business. This is to caution and strongly advise the youth (who have been mobilized) to shun the evil plans of these irresponsible individuals who are misleading you,” he says.

Kayihura says the people luring the youth into criminal activities will not be there when the law catches up with you.

However, the police may be wrong on this decision. Freedom of Assembly is a constitutional right as enshrined under Article 29(d) of the constitution! If police suspects violence, they should instead increase on the deployment of police personnel instead of refusing Mr. Lukwago from holding a stakeholders’ meeting, which is an inalienable and fundermental right of every Ugandan. Recently US government cautioned Uganda on abuse of freedom of association.

Ends