Police to Escort Zaake to His Home from Entebbe, Prohibits Processions

Police have prohibited any processions and rallies during today’s return of Mityana municipality MP, Francis Zaake. The security agency said that they did not receive any notification from the organizers and thus the planned processions are unlawful.

Zaake left the country for India early in September to get specialized medical treatment. He is among the MPs who were allegedly tortured by security operatives upon their arrest on the last day of campaigns in the August by-election in Arua municipality.

In India, he was admitted at Mannipal Hospital in New Delhi.

This week, the legislator wrote on his Facebook page that he was returning to Uganda today, Thursday.

“On Thursday 11/10/2018 at exactly mid day, I will be back home and home will be sweet home. I am just waiting for a fit to flight document,” Zaake said.

Now, Police say they have received intelligence that some people are being mobilized to go to Entebbe airport to welcome Zaake in processions, yet such processions would require Police intervention to regulate as guided by the Public Order Management Act (POMA) of 2013.

Police deputy spokesperson, SP Patrick Onyango said in a statement on Wednesday that “we have not received any notification from the organizers of these processions”.

He said such processions are unlawful and would disrupt normal business activities including most of the people moving to and from the airport.

As such, Police have ordered that Zaake will only be received at the airport by his immediate family.

Onyango added that Zaake will be availed security to escort him from Entebbe airport to his home.

“There shall be no unlawful rallies, processions and assemblies,” the Police statement read in part.

Police say that any activity that entails a public gathering must be on conformity with the POMA law.