Chaos in Kampala as Police Battles Nambooze Supporters

Chaos in Kampala as Police Battles Nambooze Supporters

Bookmark and Share

Thursday, 3 June 2010
The crowd in Kampala
The Ugandan capital, Kampala has today been paralysed as Betty Nambooze Bakireke made her way to Parliament to be sworn in.

She took her oath at around 3:00pm in the Parliamentary lobby as opposed to the chambers where others MPs are sworn in. Sources tell 256news.com that the capacity crowd could not be accommodated in the chambers.

Parliament was surrounded by fully armed police and military police. Nambooze was supposed to hold a rally at Crested Towers after her searing in but police blocked her.

She was forced to leave the premises soon after but held a rally in the middle of the road at the junction between Parliament, Ministry of Education and IPS building.

Police struggled to contain the mammoth crowd to no avail.

She left Kampala city towards Mukono to the East in a very long convoy surrounded by crowds that marched alongside her car for all the 22 kilometres to Mukono on foot.
Transport was completely cut off wherever she reached.

Before going to Parliament, Nambooze went to Bulange-Mengo, the seat of the Buganda kingdom where she met officials led by Katikkiro (Premier), JB Walusimbi.

Walusimbi advised Nambooze to analyze the situation in Parliament before she can make her contribution.

Reports say Nambooze narrated her ordeal in which she revealed that the journey to Parliament was not easy at all. She claims two of her supporters were killed in the scuffle with police.

Nambooze noted that most people in her constituency are more interested in leaders who will front Buganda’s concerns in Parliament and other levels of leadership which is why they saw her as the best candidate to deliver their interests.

She informed Katikkiro that during her campaigns, she put much emphasis on fighting for Buganda’s concerns and promised to fulfill it.

She thanked the people of Mukono North for having supported her despite the highest levels of poverty experienced in this area.
All along, she was with Kampala Central MP, Elias Lukwago, and other opposition activists.