Most of opposition politicians in parties like Forum for Democratic Change ‘FDC’, Democratic Party ‘DP’,Jema and National Unity Platform ‘NUP’ have distanced themselves from fueling a section of excited Ugandans engaging in demonstrations over high fuel and commodity prices.
This comes after several messages have been circulating on different social media platforms from yet to be identified activists people revealing that Kampala and there parts of Uganda will be under protests for three days.
The organizers of such demonstrations are using a slogan”Economic shutdown throughout the country”
They are calling masses that starting from Monday 25th to 27th of July 2022 Ugandans will go into an Economic Lockdown to send a message to Government over increasing prices of fuel and Key Commodities in the country.
The ring leaders announced that there will be none of the following: no work,no car movement except for those with health complications,no payment of tax, no boda boda (Boda Taxi) movement,no partying and opening of bars, shops and casinos.
All cities should be left empty as much as we can,no Media usage, no watching TV or news, no listening to local radio stations.
political leaders around the country that we managed to talk to all feigned ignorance about funding such disorganised protests to antagonize peace of Ugandans. They urged Ugandans to desist from such protests because their results are not good for stability of the economy.
In addition, Security Agencies revealed that they are aware of individuals and groups, from within the country and abroad, that are promoting hate, panic and fear, among Ugandans and visitors in the country, through videos, audio and text messages of malicious propaganda, instructing all members of the public to stay in their homes for 3 days, from the 25th to the 27th of July, 2022, as part of their alleged campaign against inflation in the country.
Deputy inspector general of police Maj Katsigazi revealed that the authors of the recordings in an aggressive tone, further issue threats of attack to persons, who are against their stay-at-home orders. After the 3 days, they claim their alleged protests will transition, into open street demonstrations and mass uprisings, to purposely cause change in government.
“These are illegitimate and unconstitutional means that we do strongly condemn”,he said.
He added”for those who can remember, similar scare tactics were used by the same individuals and political groups, in February, 2021, in the aftermath of the General Elections”
However, their ill intentioned plans were rejected by the public, after realizing that the authors and organizers, were rallying support for street violence and civil uprisings, for their selfish political advantages. This time, they are using the surge in commodity and fuel prices to call for violence. Many countries, including the Most Developed Countries, are grappling with inflation as well, as they strive to return to normalcy.
“Nobody has the capacity to lock down a city like Kampala other than the government of Uganda and if somebody turns up and stops people from accessing the city by one way or the other we shall arrest them,”he said.
There has been a sharp increase in commodity prices for the last three months following the increase of fuel prices.
He stressed that whereas peaceful demonstration is a constitutional right, the messages circulating on social media point to a rather violent demonstration, which poses a security threat.
“They are scaring people for nothing and we would like to assure them that we are not sleeping and are still in charge because those bad elements want to disrupt people’s businesses. We are investigating the source of such information and we shall arrest all those behind such threats,” Maj Gen Katsigazi said.