The meeting was planned for Monday, May 26, 2025, and was supposed to take place at the FDC district offices in Kitgum Municipality. However, police officers arrived early and blocked the event from happening.
The FDC said the meeting was part of their internal party activities to choose a presidential flag bearer for the 2026 general elections.
Two top leaders of the party, Patrick Amuriat and Nathan Nandala Mafabi, were expected to speak to party delegates and supporters. Both men are competing to lead the party into the next elections and have been traveling across the region to talk to members.
According to people who were at the scene, police officers came in the morning and surrounded the FDC offices. They did not allow anyone to enter the venue, including party officials, members, and supporters. This action forced the cancellation of the planned meeting.
FDC leaders were angered by the police action. The party’s acting president, Kaps Fungaro, said the police were violating their constitutional rights. He accused the police of trying to silence opposition voices in the country.
“This is a clear and planned effort to stop us from reaching the people,” Fungaro said.
“You will not silence us. We have a right to meet, to speak, and to organize politically. These rights are protected by the Constitution of Uganda.”
The FDC released a strong statement condemning what happened in Kitgum. The party called the police action illegal and said it was a danger to democracy and political freedom.
They demanded that the police stop blocking their meetings and respect the rights of citizens to gather peacefully.
“We demand the immediate removal of this blockade,” the statement read.
“Every Ugandan has the right to take part in political activities. Blocking our meetings is not just wrong — it is unconstitutional.”
Just a day before the Kitgum incident, Amuriat and Nandala had successfully held another meeting in Lamogi Sub-county in Amuru District.
That event was organized by Kilak South Member of Parliament, Gilbert Olanya, and it went ahead without any problems. This raised questions about why the Kitgum meeting was blocked.
Some political observers believe that the situation shows that political space in Uganda is shrinking, especially for opposition parties. They said the government should allow all political groups to organize freely and follow the law.
“This is not just about FDC,” said one local analyst.
“It sends a worrying message to all Ugandans who care about democracy. If opposition parties are not allowed to operate freely, how can we have fair elections?”
As of Monday night, the Uganda Police Force had not given any official reason for blocking the FDC meeting. Journalists tried to contact police officials in Kitgum, but they were not available for comment.
Meanwhile, FDC leaders said they will not back down. They promised to continue their work across the country, no matter the challenges they face.
“We will not retreat,” said Kaps Fungaro.
“We are standing up for the rights of our people. We must be free to speak, organize, and take part in politics. The voice of the people must be heard.”
Post a Comment
0Comments