The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has justified its decision to allow the members of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) to hold processions to Parliament month, after suppressing Gen-Zs from holding the same march.
PLU hold a procession protesting perceived disrespect towards General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, their leader.
Hundreds of supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) took to the streets, wearing t-shirts praising their leader, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, whom they call their next president.
The demonstration, which began in Naguru, aimed to condemn what they see as targeted political maneuvering against General Kainerugaba, rather than addressing pressing national issues.
The protest is said to be a direct response to the escalating tensions between Parliament and General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), who refused to appear before the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee to address concerns over his controversial social media activity.
The large crowd of PLU supporters has been marching to Parliament, closely monitored by police, who have closed several roads to facilitate their movement.
According to Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke, the organizers of the protest alerted the police in advance and requested security, which was granted.
“They submitted the request to Uganda Police to be secured and to be guided on their activities, and they were granted permission. And the information I have is that they asked to march to Kati-Kati, then to Parliament.
They were granted permission on the condition that the procession is non-violent and non-destructive actions, that’s why they were granted permission.” Rusoke said.
Michael Mawanda, the head of Mobilization at the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) and Member of Parliament for Igara East, said they intended to submit a petition to the Speaker, expressing their disappointment with legislators on the Defence Committee, who they accuse of continuously attacking their leader.
“We’re marching to Parliament with our petition, expressing our concerns to Parliament, as to why the Defence Committee has not concentrated on issues affecting this country, such as fighting corruption, but only concentrating on attacking the person of Gen. Muhoozi, because of speaking truth on social media.” – Mawanda said.
Other protestors have demanded the resignation or removal of certain members of the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee, particularly Derrick Nyeko, the Makindye East MP, whom they accuse of launching persistent personal attacks on General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Balaam Barugahara, an executive member of PLU and State Minister of Youth and Children called on Ugandans to join the protest, urging participants to remain peaceful and disciplined.
“Fellow PLU members and supporters, let’s exercise our constitutional right to peacefully demonstrate and express our discontent against those who undermine the leadership of President Museveni and our supreme chairman, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba,” Barugahara wrote on X.
By the time of publishing this story, the protesters were still gathered at Kati-Kati Restaurant in Lugogo awaiting further instructions from their leaders, who were expected to join them and lead the procession to Parliament in the afternoon.
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