Police at Old Kampala Division have in custody eight members of the Democratic Party who were found attempting to force their way into the Democratic Party Headquarters on Balintuma Road in Kampala this morning.
The suspects include Buikwe South MP Dr Michael Lulume Bayigga, Lubega Samson Mukaaku, Patrick Sekamatte, Alex Ntale, Mulindwa Muwonge, John Bosco, Godfrey Kaweesi and David Kyakayi, all Members of the Democratic Party.
The members had come out to challenge the Memorandum of Understanding signed recently between DP President Norbert Mao and President Yoweri Museveni.
The group was on a mission to forcefully take over the party offices from the leadership of Norbert Mao, who recently accepted a ministerial position in the ruling government.
Dr Bayigga said the party headquarters is not out of bounds but a public infrastructure that every member is allowed to access.
“It is their right to meet their leaders at their party offices. They wanted to hear from us on what next for our great grandfather's political party. But the premises are under Police guard, which clearly shows that Mao sold us to President Museveni’s NRM," said Lulume.
Meanwhile, his colleague Samson Lubega Mukaku said they won’t tolerate any effort to place DP under captivity.
Patrick Onyango the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson says that the suspects are currently detained at Old Kampala Police Station on charges of inciting violence and criminal trespass.
However, DP spokesperson Okoler Opio Lo-Amanu stated that the party regrets what he called an act of indiscipline by MP Bayigga and his group, adding that they had invaded the party offices with unknown intentions.
