President Yoweri Museveni issued a stern warning to youths behind the planned ‘March2Parliament’ protests in Kampala, that they are playing with fire.
In a national address last night, the president warned that those staging demonstrations during busy weekdays in the heart of Kampala will not be allowed.
He described these groups as “unfair” and likened them to a person who allows their animals to damage other people’s gardens. The organizers of the 23rd July demos are protesting against corruption in parliament, calling for resignation of speaker Anita Among.
Citing recent events outside the country such as the riots in neighboring Kenya, Museveni warned that such would not be allowed in Uganda.
“That culture I see in other parts of the world where they are damaging people’s property, that cannot be tolerated,” Museveni said
According to the President, organizers of such demonstrations are disruptors of the wealth-creation gospel he has been preaching to ensure that the population has sufficient food and improve their livelihoods through sale of surplus products. He also reasoned that Kampala is a crowded city within which activities like demonstrations can easily result into destruction of property.
“Food prices have come down because of the Ugandans who are producing. Now my question is what right then do you have to seek to generate chaotic behaviours when we are busy creating wealth ?…. people in other parts of the world are starving and you here want to disturb us… you are playing with fire because we cannot allow it,” he added.
“You hear people talking of demonstrations. But when you demonstrate in Kampala people are selling on the roadside…are you going to step in people’s products? Do not have such ideas in your head.”
Instead of marching in busy streets, the president advised protesters to wait for weekends when the city traffic is lighter, so they can congregate in open places like Kololo and vent their concerns.