Otafiire Justifies Violent Dispersing of Political Rallies

The minister of internal affairs Gen Kahinda Otafiire has defended the police actions in breaking up political party public rallies across the country.

He has advised opposition political parties to wait for the electoral commission road map that will guide them on how they will canvas for votes ahead of the 2026 general election.

The Minister was responding to criticism against police officers for blocking opposition rallies across the country.

Otafiire said police actions are only intended to create order.

“There is an agency that handles elections it’s called the electoral commission, it’s the electoral commission that gives marching orders. Am also a politician so those who complain what they want to do I also want to do but have not been allowed to do it, I am waiting for the electoral commission to give us marching orders to go and re-apply for our jobs”. Otafiire stated.

Otafiire asked opposition leaders to always inform the electoral commission about their intention to hold political gatherings.

The minister was speaking during the NRM manifesto presentation week taking place at the office of the president.

At the same event the state minister for internal affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi says security forces in the country have registered tremendous success in the implementation of their commitments in the 2021-26 NRM manifesto.

Among the successes according to Muhoozi, during this period the country has generally continued to enjoy peace from border to border, as police together with the support of sister security agencies has been able to deal with the threat of terrorism and gun crime during which a number of ADF terror cells have been dismantled and criminal gangs busted.

Another success includes the reduction in crime rate as there was 1.5% reduction in the volume of reported crime from 231,653 cases in 2022 to 228,074 cases in 2023.