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Today, NRM-O hooligans beat up FDC supporters who waved the ‘v’ sign
during Museveni’s visit in Iganga Town. They were assaulted in the
presence of the President. The molested supporters told FDC campaigners
who were traveling to Soroti about the assault and they were advised to
report the matter to police. The party will also file a complaint with
the Electoral Commission.
Museveni’s campaign tour of Busoga region has been met with outright
rejection and scandalous scenes. Voters attending a disco and documentary
about Museveni on the eve of the rally in Jinja Town broke into FDC
victory songs and were chased and assaulted by sponsors of the show. CBS
radio has been reporting that thousands of people were ferried in NRM-O
hired trucks and lorries to attend Museveni’s rally in Jinja town. After
the planned rally failed to take off, the trucks did not return to ferry
the rented crowd back to their homes, which prompted a demonstration in
Jinja town.
The angry
crowd was demanding food and transportation back to their homes. In
order to avoid embarrassment NRM-O officials asked the
truck drivers to wait for cover of darkness before picking up the
demonstrators and taking them back to their homes to pre-empt a second day
of embarrassing demonstrations.
Meantime,
presidential candidate Kizza Besigye is faced with challenges of another
kind as he continues his whistle-stop tour of villages and towns around
the country. It has now become standard practice for businesses in towns
that Kizza Besigye is visiting to come to a complete standstill. Today
Soroti and Kumi shut down as they awaited their hero. Supporters formed
human blockades along the route saying they just wanted to catch a glimpse
of KB and even if he did not say a word, they had already decided to vote
for him.
The
campaign team has also reported an intriguing pattern of power cuts in
every town they visit that occur precisely when KB starts his radio talk
show. The pattern has been consistent in Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara, Tororo,
and Soroti; and while campaigners suspect that this could be foul play
others say the power cuts have boosted sales for traders dealing in dry
batteries— the alternative source of power for radio owners.
 KB
Rallies Soroti
Today in
Kumi and Soroti districts rallies started at Kachumbala and went on to
Bukedea, Atetur, Kumi, Mukura, Kapir, and Ngora in Kumi District. In
Soroti District KB addressed rallies in Kyere (Brookes Corner), Serere,
Bugondo, and a final grand rally for tens of thousands of supporters in
Soroti town. In his message to the people of Teso KB decried the high
levels of poverty and blamed government for failing to contain cattle
rustling which had deprived many people of their livelihood. He stated
that it was the duty of government to protect the lives and properties of
its citizen and negligence of this duty in the region amounted to failure
to fulfill their responsibility. He asked the people of Teso to vote for
FDC and promised that his government would end cattle rustling. Kizza
Besigye is accompanied by area MP’s Hon. Alice Alaso (FDC Secretary
General), Hon. Elijah Okupa, Hon. Eng. Amuriat, and Hon. Dr. Francis
Epatait. He is also accompanied by Mr. Nasser Kiyingi a strong FDC
supporter from Mbale and FDC deputy spokesperson, Sarah Epelu. Tomorrow
Thursday January 19, 2006, Kizza Besigye heads to Amuria, Kaberamaido, and
Katakwi. Ends FDC Reporter
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