UGANDA: "Stepping back" is new password for being bribed - Museveni Police

"STEPPING BACK" IS A NEW PASSWORD FOR BEING BRIBED - MUSEVENI POLICE

        "Police stopped the boat owners from sailing but they overpowered the Police. Sometimes when you are a law enforcement officer and you are faced with a situation of mob justice, you should step back...,”
Asumani Mugenyi, POLICE
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

That was the reckless statement issued by the Museveni's police in response to last week's boat tragedy that left scores dead.

Anywhere in the world, the primary mandate if the Police is to PROTECT THE PEOPLE'S  LIVES AND PRIPERTY.  By the nature of their training and legal provisions, the police is empowered to carry out this mandate using reasonable force.  In the instant case, the Marine Police allegedly attempted to block the fateful boat from sailing but "stepped back" after being overpowered by the revellers.  If true, it was a big failure and gross negligence on the part of the state agency that is mandated to protect lives and property.

We have seen the Museveni police use unreasonable force to block peaceful assemblies and movements of opposition politicians on the pretext that doing so would lead to a breach of peace that endanger lives and property.  It is an open secret that the Museveni Police usually stops motor vehicles on the road owing to their poor mechanical state, overloading, overspeeding etc. and simply solicit for a bribes before allowing the motorists to continue with their journeys.  That is the reason why road accidents in Uganda have reached a carnage level and one of the top causes of death.

Therefore, there is no doubt whatsoever that the alleged attempt to block the fateful accident boat from sailing must have simply been the usual threats meant to indirectly solicit for a bribe from the revellers.

Obviously, the said Marine Police personnel must have been given money to make them back off or "step back".  If it is true that the boat was faulty or overloaded, the Museveni regime very well knows that the boat capsized because of the negligence of its enforcement agencies.

The Museveni Police, the Transport Licencing Board, the Beach Management Unit and others negligently failed in their enforcement roles. That is why the regime is desperately attempting to divert public attention thus;
       "A police officer intercepted and ordered the vessel not to make its voyage because the officer was suspicious of the vessel’s seaworthiness but the vessel owner and some revellers threatened to throw the officer in the water for interrupting their joy ride. Revellers insisted on sailing in the ‘suspected’ vessel. The vessel, therefore, took off,” Transport Minister, Azuba Ntege’s statement reads in part.

     "Obviously, the operators of this boat will be charged with criminal negligence and manslaughter, if they have not already been punished for their mistake by dying in the accident.
May the souls of all those departed rest in peace.
YOWERI K. MUSEVENI
PRESIDENT"

One of the tragic boat accident survivors, Prince Wasajja is a VIP who must be guarded 24/7 by security personnel.  The regime has not come out to tell citizens as to whether he had or did not have his bodyguards at the time of the accident.

INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM
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