The Police would like to inform the public that it will be regulating three public events beginning tomorrow Saturday, 9th April, 2016, that include the World Fitness Day celebrations in partnership with the Uganda Olympic Committee, the NRM victory celebrations at the Kololo Independence grounds, and securing beforehand the routes to the Kabaka’s Birthday Marathon. We do congratulate and encourage the organizers and intending participants to continue being law-abiding persons during the entire events, and also guarantee their safety during the celebrations and activities.
It has however, been noted that there are other groups that are planning on holding public events without duly notifying the police in accordance with Section 5 of the Public Order Management Act (POMA), which renders their intended public events unlawful. The police would like to caution the public, not to be deceived into participating in these event, which have not been cleared after the organizers, and in particular the Mayor Kawempe (MP Elect), Munyagwa Mubarak, failed to give at least the 3 days but not more than 15 days’ notice before the proposed date of their public meeting at Nakivubo Primary School.
We want to remind him and the other organizers that holding a public meeting without any reasonable excuse and or failure to comply with the conditions under the POMA, tantamount to an offence of disobedience of statutory duty, liable on conviction to the penalty for that offence under Section 116 of the Penal Code Act.
We therefore, urge all political actors and intending participants with plans of holding public meetings to always adhere to the requirements of Section 5 of the POMA which makes it mandatory to notify the Inspector General of Police of any public meeting. The police will under all circumstances, take all necessary measures to ensure and also protect public order and public peace.
CP Fred Enanga
Press and Public Relations Officer
Uganda Police
8.04.2016
