The National Unity Platform (NUP) has denied claims that they are affiliated to groups of people threatening to shut down Uganda with widespread protests.
The Minister for Information and ICT, Judith Nabakooba earlier on Sunday said the government had landed on information that the country would be shut down between today February 3 and 7 with country-wide protests.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Paul Lokech said that the people threatening to use the said mechanism are spreading the threats using video and audio messages and sending them on various social media platforms.
However, the NUP president, Robert Kyagulanyi on Tuesday distanced his party from the claims saying he is not aware of the said messages that are allegedly being circulated on social media.
He said he first heard it from information minister Judith Nabakooba.
“I first heard it from Minister Judith Nabakooba and then Maj. Gen. Lokech. I don’t know about those messages. If anyone is aggrieved, they should seek legal means for redress. As a party, we believe in non-violent means in whatever we do. They are trying to associate them with our party and other political parties but they are baseless,” Kyagulanyi told journalists in a press conference on Tuesday.
He also added that they decided to go to court as their only alternative to challenging the election.+
“We want to be remembered as a group of people that pursued every legal redress to letter Z and it is the reason we are going to court.”
NUP sokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi the allegations such could be the work of government aimed at framing and targeting opposition supporters, however, he said, they will not be intimidated at any moment.
“They are very capable of doing these things. If they could plant guns (in Arua) and tramped up charges, they are capable of doing anything.”
The Deputy Inspector General of Police on Monday said those threatening to shut down the country will regret their actions.
“We are aware of individuals and groups of promoting panic and fear through social media using videos and audio messages. We are not taking some of these messages lightly. We have a very robust force ready to deal with any situation,” Lokech said on Monday.
“Some of these people are outside Uganda and we are soon getting in touch with the host through our diplomatic channels to see what to do with them but those here in Uganda are being tracked down. However, those people who think they can bring anarchy to this country should know they are making a big mistake they will live to regret. These are not threats but a warning to those who want to cause chaos here. No country is immune to lawlessness but we are prepared for this challenge. Our security forces are resilient and remain deployed.”
