Protest Will Continue – Opposition

Sheila Naturinda and Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa

2 May 2011

The stage for another confrontation was set yesterday as Activists for Change campaigners insisted a warning by government for a continual crackdown on protesters, will not dampen their resolve to walk to work.

Opposition politicians vowed to carry on with protests against spiraling prices as planned, until government intervenes.

Yesterday, they also promised to unveil another planned peaceful action alongside the walking protest after today’s walk; but police warned severe action would be used to disperse the protesters again.

“That demonstration is illegal because we haven’t been informed,” Deputy Police Spokesman Vicent Ssekatte said. “We shall arrest all of them because what they are doing is illegal.”

The Activists for Change said they will walk today and Thursday as they had initially packaged their call; even in the midst of government threats to quash all of them and President Museveni’s statement that ‘they will face fire.’

Launched April 8, the opposition campaign against government’s opulence, corruption and skyrocketing prices of essential goods has since led to close to 10 deaths and scores others injured .

The campaign chairman, also Masaka Municipality MP-elect Mathias Mpuuga yesterday told Daily Monitor: “The action isn’t about any one individual but the concern of the Ugandans suffering.

“Putting one of us out of action and having many more injured doesn’t make us close the chapter but we get more energised to do more,” Mr Mpuuga said, in reference to one of their leaders Dr Kizza Besigye who underwent surgery and extensive treatment at Nairobi Hospital on injuries he incurred in last week’s protests.

Dr Besigye was injured following a scuffle with security operatives last Thursday in Kampala. They sprayed teargas and pepper spray in his eyes -nearly leaving him blind.

Mr Mpuuga, who is also being investigated for leading protests in Masaka which left a two-year-old dead, said he has received threats on his life from security forces who claim they want him to stop and call for dialogue. “No amount of intimidation or blackmail will keep us away from our cause,” Mr Mpuuga said. “Those who ask us for dialogue don’t have any agenda.”

FDC vice president for eastern region Salaama Musumba said: “This being a genuine cause, we cannot chicken out simply because he (Besigye) is away .We shall walk whether he is around or not.”

While speaking in Nairobi at an open forum, President Museveni said although he wished the opposition leader a quick recovery, he warned that he must follow the law.

The activists also said they can’t rule out taking their tormentors to courts for justice, adding that their attorneys would advise them on what to do next.

AllAfrica – All the Time