The National Unity Platform-NUP is considering petitioning the high court demanding that cops guarding their office premises in Kamwokya be ordered to vacate with immediate effect.
This follows complaints from the NUP party that security officers have pitched camp at their offices since January 15th, 2021, denying anyone access to the offices hence hindering their access to relevant documents and general duties.
David Rubongonya the NUP secretary-general says NUP as a registered party has the right to operate without any interference from the state or security agencies.
“Since the 15th of last month our offices have been under siege there is no activity we can carry from there, we have written to the Inspector General of Police, the Electoral Commission chairperson, but they are also waiting for the orders from above. This is unconstitutional,” said Rubongoya.
He says the continued blockage of NUP members from accessing their office headquarters is denying them the chance to obtain documents that are key in preparing their petition challenging the recent presidential elections in which the incumbent Yoweri Museveni emerged as the winner.
“If you look through the petition that we have taken to the supreme court, the lawyers will tell you that a lot of documents we needed to attach are at our office, we don’t even know if they are still there because these people must have had access to the offices, some documents might have been stolen as they did with our signatures”. He adds
Rubongoya however says they will not take it lying low but will run to the high court again.
”We are going to court to demand that they vacate our office, NUP is a registered political party, which is free to operate in this country, so the continued blockade on our office is illegal, and a sign that these people fear us because we represent the people and their values,” he states.
This is not the first time that the NUP is running to court to seek solace from the security forces, In January, they petitioned the court demanding freedom for their strongman Robert Kyagulanyi who was detained at his premises by police and military.
