Lukwago Says Balaam’s ‘People Power’ Move Another Govt Antic to Suppress Opposition

Kampala city Mayor, Erias Lukwago has warned all “democracy seekers” especially those working under ‘People Power’ to expect more attacks from the ruling government following allegations that Events’ Manager, Balaam Barugahara registered ‘People Power’ as an Non-Government Organization (NGO).

According to reports, it is alleged that the registered People Power NGO is intended to offer aid to the elderly in the country. For almost a year now, opposition politician and singer, Bobi Wine has been using the slogan ‘People Power’ to rally Ugandans to cause change in government.

While ‘People Power’ has quickly become a political movement of sorts, Bobi Wine who thus far has not yet declared clear intentions for running for Presidency, is yet to register it as a political party.

Lukwago said on Tuesday that given the clear move by government to frustrate the People Power movement, it is imperative that all democracy seeking forces put their act together and confront the challenges at hand.

“When you see the likes of Balaam purporting to register “People Power” as an NGO for elderly, one can easily foretell the regime’s nefarious mission; obviously, the regime functionaries behind the Balaam antics will pretty soon seek for a court injunction restraining any non-member of the “registered NGO” against using “people power” slogan for a political cause,” Lukwago said in a statement.

Lukwago said, “The overzealous regime police will then swing into action to clamp down on the resurgent mass movement. They are definitely under immense international pressure to justify their brutal and repressive measures against innocent Ugandans agitating for change.”

He noted that this is not the first time government has frustrated political movements in the country in a likely manner.

“At the height of the “Walk to Work”, the then Attorney General, the late Peter Nyombi, invoked certain provisions of the Penal Code Act, which are a relic of the colonial hegemony to issue an instrument that declared Activists for Change (A4C) as an “unlawful society”.

“We were constrained to improvise ways of circumventing the said proclamation by inter-alia renaming and baptizing the same formation as For God and My Country (4GC) but the same was outlawed.”

Lukwago added that the legitimate political activities and use of the national insignia were not only proscribed but all activists and opposition leaders were treated as “terrorists” in the face of the said proclamation.

“The paranoid regime was desperately looking for legal fictions to justify their brutality against a resurgent assertive opposition. You all recall the obnoxious orders issued by the Kavuma-led Constitutional Court against the National prayers organised at the FDC headquarters in the aftermath of the 2016 elections.”