The Inspector General of Police-IGP, Martin Okoth Ochola has directed police commanders across the country to break up all illegal campaign meetings.
The directive has been communicated by the Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga communicated at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.
Enanga said that some presidential candidates are holding meetings in places that are outside their campaign schedule issued by the Electoral Commission.
He said such meetings must be broken up and any commander who allows them to go on shall be subjected to disciplinary action.
He said the IGP is determined to ensure that all campaign meetings are organized in line with the Electoral Commission directives.
Enanga warned the public against getting involved in such meetings adding that they risk force being used against them.
The IGP’s warning comes on the heels of repeated police breakup of especially presidential campaign rallies.
All but a few of the 10 candidates challenging President Museveni in the 2021 general elections have tested the wrath of the police breaking up their rallies with teargas and live bullets.
According to directives from the Electoral Commission, no candidate is supposed to hold meetings with more than 200 people. He added that the Electoral Commission also prohibited processions as they might lead to the spread of Coronavirus.
The IGP’s directives come at a time when the Electoral Commission also held a meeting presidential candidates or their agents to discuss a way forward on the continuous disruption of their meetings by the police.
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