The police at Kampala Central Police Station have arrested four traders for protesting against National Labour Day Celebrations.
On Wednesday Traders under their umbrella body, Kampala Arcades Traders’ Association (KATA) staged a peaceful demonstration claiming it was not necessary to celebrate Labour Day when they are working under unfavorable conditions.
Walking holding placards, traders said they were chocking on high taxes that have kicked many of their colleagues out of business while those still doing business are working on tenterhooks and about to bow out.
Police led by the Officer in Charge of Operations, Ivan Nduhura swung into action and arrested the four traders even though Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, said they only had two in custody.
“We only have two traders in our custody. These include Godfrey Katongole and Owen Ahimbisibwe. They are being detained at CPS,” Onyango said.
Last week, police blocked KATA team that was delivering a letter about their planned peaceful demonstration to Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Commissioner of Police Moses Kafeero.
Nevertheless, traders vowed to proceed with their demonstration saying Public Order Management Act (POMA) does not require them to seek permission from police but to ask for protection of their events.
Onyango said charges of unlawful assembly and inciting violence against Katongole and Ahimbisibwe.
This year’s National Labour celebrations were marked in Agago District.
In Agago, President Museveni in his speech said that for an economy to gain strength, it has to rely on strong private and business sector.
“The United States of America is the richest country, not because of it’s leaders but because of the business people. Leaders in the US are seasonal, in four years they are looking for a new leader, just playing around,” Museveni said.
The President added: “Africa needs to wake up and know that the strength of their respective economies is the private sector. For that reason, by working on electricity and transport, we are making it easier for the private people to come and invest in Uganda. We have done all this by prioritising. You cannot do this by doing all things at a go.”
The president also launched the Employment Diagnostic Analysis Report.
In the next decade, the World Bank estimates that one billion young people will enter the labour market. Of these, only 40 per cent are predicted to find work if the job market remains unchanged.
However, Museveni reiterated the need for commercial farming as one of the ways of creating more jobs and fighting unemployment in Uganda.
“Once you engage in commercial farming, you create jobs internally – on top of what the foreigners are bringing,” Museveni said.
