Police vows to deal with any candidate who defies Covid rules.

By; Ben Musanje and Gloria Abwoch

09^th Nov. 2020

Police have explained reasons over the blocking of the manifesto launch of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Presidential Flag bearer Patrick Oboi Amuriat in Soroti today.

Amuriat had scheduled to launch his Manifesto and campaigns at Soroti Sports ground after earlier being approved by the Soroti District Electoral Commission registrar Charles Egimu, unfortunately this has not happened.

Addressing journalists at the Uganda media center in Kampala, Fred Enanga the Police Spokesperson said that the National Security Taskforce discovered that the venue wasn’t suitable for the event since it is near the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital which also hosts COVID-19 patients and this would expose people to COVID-19 infections.

He further says that Amuriat was also blocked after attempting to organise a procession from Mbale town to Soroti which is prohibited in this COVID-19 situation.

Enanga says Police was ready to arrest and detain defiant political actors who flout the Electoral Commission guidelines during the campaign period which started today advising that use of media outlets like Radio, Television stations, newspapers and social media platforms in conjunction to holding regulated campaign meetings of not more than 70 people is the law at hand.

The campaigns for Presidential and Parliamentary candidates are to run from today November 9^th to January 12^th 2021 ahead of the January 14^th 2021 polling day.

Meanwhile Police have reported an increase of about 22.5 per cent in major cases reported last week compared to the week before, with a total of 76 major incidents compared to 62 cases reported the previous the week. 60 lives were lost and out of these 43 were due to murder while 44 suspects were arrested in connection, however, out of the 28 territorial policing regions, 5 regions reported no major incidents over the past week.