Kyagulanyi’s campaigns in Kitgum, Pader hang in balance as authorities deny him venues

Kitgum, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Pader town council authorities have declined to offer the town council playground to the National Unity Platform-NUP presidential candidate Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi.

Kyagulanyi is scheduled to start his first campaigns in East Acholi in Kitgum district and later in Pader district on Wednesday. 

On Tuesday, his agents wrote to the district security committee notifying them about the campaigns at Pader Town Council Playground.

The letter dated 10th November seen by URN reporter and signed by the NUP aspirant for Aruu County Charles Ochora indicated that they would be addressing a campaign gathering at the playground while observing the covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures- SOPs. 

However, Pader Town Council Town clerk, Alice Ajok, says that the venue had already been booked for a different activity, which she declined to divulge. 

Ajok also noted that NUP team had not been cleared by the district security committee to use the playgrounds. 

“I told them to first get clearance from the district security committee before we give out our open ground for hiring as they requested for the NUP party presidential campaign,” says Ajok.

The Pader District Police Commander Tom Beinomugisha Clenscensius declined to comment on the matter.

The Resident District Commissioner Dusman Okee, however, says that he has not received any letter from NUP.  He, however, notes that the town council authorities have a right to either allow or deny utilization of the playgrounds because it’s their property. 

NUP has also failed to find a venue for Kyagulanyi’s campaigns in Kitgum Municipality.

Samuel Obedgui, the NUP liaison Officer for Northern Uganda says they had identified three venues which include the main Bus Park, District Forest Institute- DFI and Christ the King playgrounds in central and pandwong divisions. 

He, however, notes that security has not allowed them to utilize Bus Park due to crowd management, while management of the institute turned down their request over security fears. 

Tommy Eyaku, Kitgum District Police Commander who inspected Christ the King playgrounds says that NUP should first be cleared by the Church which owns the playground. 

“NUP is free to hold campaigns at any location because the independent electoral commission has designated this day as their campaign schedule, but what we want to know is whether the venues have been legally given to them to use because they are properties belonging to government or individuals.  We are yet waiting for authorization from the church,” Eyaku said. 

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URN