Police battles Kyagulanyi supporters in Gulu

Gulu, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Parts of Gulu city were covered in Teargas on Wednesday as police battled supporters of Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu. 

Kyagulanyi, the head of the National Unity Platform was scheduled to hold a campaign meeting at Awere Playgrounds in Layibi-Bardege division. He arrived in Gulu at 4; 45 pm flanked by heavily armed police escort after a disappointing trip to Kitgum and Pader Town Council where he was denied venues.

Field Force Unit – FFU Police personnel blocked his convoy from entering Gulu central business district and diverted the fleet through Airfield Road – Lacor – Sir Samuel Baker road to Awere playground, a venue which was filled by hundreds of youth, bodaboda riders and vendors from Olayolong Market in Gulu East Division.

Kyagulanyi cheered his supporters with an acapella of his “Fighting for freedom” song, but the situation went out of hand as more and more supporters converged at the scene breaking the security perimeter fence mounted for crowd control.

Police immediately halted the rally and accompanied Kyagulanyi and his entourage out of the ground. Angered by the action, rowdy youth pelted stones towards police personnel who retaliated by firing tear gas and live bullets to disperse the crowd. 

Police commanded by Moses Ogwang, the Officer-in-charge of Operations at Gulu Central Police Station said that Kyagulanyi was behind the scheduled time. He, however, tried to resist amidst cheers from the thousands of his supporters who were advancing towards his vehicle. The police subsequently escorted him out of the venue through  Sir Samuel Baker Road, Cemetry Road, Acholi Road, Lagara Road and Ring Road. 

Earlier, Aswa Region Police Spokesman Patrick Jimmy Okema and Gulu Resident District Commissioner Santos Okot Lapolo said that Kyagulanyi had been allowed to hold the campaign with strict adherence to the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures and Ministry of Health`s guidelines.

The presidential candidate had earlier on Wednesday addressed a rally in Pader District. On Thursday Kyagulanyi heads to Lango sub-region as 2021 the Presidential campaigns enter the fourth day.

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