The Activists for Change (A4C) members say they will not respect the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference slated for March 31st – April 5th in Kampala.
A4C coordinator Mathias Mpuuga notes that the Conference cannot override the interests of Ugandans. In the event that the pressure group has events during the week long activity, Mpuuga says they will not hesitate to hold them.
The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, while at a meeting with MPs on Wednesday to discuss IPU activities, urged A4C to halt any events during the conference. The more than 30 billion shilling-conference will bring together nearly 2000 delegates from around the world.
But Mpuuga, who is also the Masaka Municipality MP, would not buy the idea saying the state of Uganda’s democracy would be judged during such times. He asked Kadaga to instead plead with the security organs to ensure the smooth running of the conference. He says he does not see any fusion in what A4C does with what the conference is about. The MP notes that he has never heard of people trading their freedoms for a conference.
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The A4C has on several occasions engaged the police in running battles since the start of the walk to work protests in April last year. In similar scenes of confrontation on Wednesday, a police officer was stoned to death in the middle of the city. Assistant Inspector of Police John Bosco Oriong, 48, who has been heading Kafumbe Mukasa Road police post, was killed while quelling a riot that followed the arrest of opposition politicians.
Those arrested included FDC leader Dr Kiiza Besigye and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago among others. Nine other suspects are still in police custody.
