President Museveni FLOODS town with MONEY to DISSUADE residents from attending opponent rally
Security personnel in armoured vehicles yesterday fanned out all over Mbale with police allowing the distribution of money intended to draw residents away from presidential hopeful Amama Mbabazi, who plans to hold his first meeting in the town today.
With tension mounting, a show-down is feared after Mr Mbabazi’s
lawyers yesterday said their client will be in the district to get his
leadership challenge officially underway although police have maintained
that he will not be allowed to.
The director of police operations, Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi, took
charge after Police Chief Kale Kayihura dropped by earlier in the week.
“We are not dealing with individuals but the party. Mr Mbabazi has
not been cleared by the NRM party and, therefore, he will not hold his
consultative meeting. And I am here to ensure that the meeting does not
take place,” Mr Kaweesi, who has been in Mbale since Monday, said.
He is backed by deputy commander Riot Police in Bukedi Region Sam
Omalla, Elgon region police chief Jacob Opolot and other senior security
figures.
Police patrols covered the town centre, Malukhu, Shopping Centre,
Namatala suburb, Mbale Resort Hotel where Mr Mbabazi’s meeting had been
booked, and Industrial Area.
Management at Mbale Resort, however, are reported to have come under
intense pressure from unnamed authorities not to host the meeting.
Meanwhile, yesterday morning, Mr Omalla, Mr Opolot, Elgon region
police spokesperson Diana Nandawula and several plain-clothed security
operatives looked on as individuals claiming to be acting on behalf of
Mr Museveni distributed money to each person who turned up at Mbale
Sports Club.
Mr Abudallah Naleka, who last week hoodwinked police by dressing in a
Museveni T-shirt before hosting a pro-Mbabazi meeting to discuss his
visit to Mbale, was among those seen dishing out the cash.
Mr Naleka told the crowd that he was invited to State House at the weekend and asked to stop drumming up support for Mr Mbabazi.
“I apologise to you all that I had been misled to join the Mbabazi
camp. After consultations, I now disassociate myself from them because
the NRM party has agreed to rally behind Museveni as a sole candidate.
I, therefore, urge all of you gathered here today to support President
Museveni.
He also, through me, sent to you a token of Shs20,000 each for water,” Mr Naleka said.
On Monday, the Mbabazi group expelled Mr Naleka and Mr Karimu Mulilo
after they learnt that the duo had led about 54 people to State House to
meet President Museveni.
When asked to comment on police presence at the money distribution,
Ms Nandawula said they okayed it after they found Museveni agents.
Hotel locks out Mbabazi
The Mbale Resort Hotel manager, Mr Isaiah Weboya,
yesterday said he would not host Mr Mbabazi because he feared for both
his own security and that of his job.
“Besides, we are also full and we can’t have any other place for Mr
Mbabazi,” he said. The coordinator of the eastern region Mbabazi
taskforce, Mr Ahmed Washaki, yesterday said they asked the management
who first agreed to host Mr Mbabazi and his supporters.
But shortly security operatives got into the hotel their request was
turned down. Daily Monitor also learnt that management at Mt Elgon
Hotel, the alternative venue, abruptly cancelled a booking on grounds
that they should have been informed earlier.
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