Tuesday, 10th May, 2011
UPC president Olara Otunnu (centre) and other opposition supporters being sprayed with coloured water.
By Herbert Ssempogo
and Brian Mayanja
OPPOSITION politicians were yesterday sprayed with a coloured liquid as Police blocked them from walking to the Constitutional Square in Kampala.
In a change of tactics, instead of using tear gas, the Polices blue water cannon truck yesterday discharged the liquid that drenched the clothes of UPC president, Olara Otunnu and Samuel Lubega, an independent presidential candidate in the just concluded elections.
The water canon cornered them at Eagen House.
The liquid is used in crowd control and to easily identify people involved in riots.
They subsequently abandoned their plan, which they had earlier vowed to stick to and returned to Uganda House a few blocks from Eagen House.
Earlier, the Police, who had dogs, had blocked them but they insisted on moving.
The water from the Police truck also gushed into an optical clinic, Dada Photo Studio, an eatery and Bata, a shoe outlet. All these are on Eagen House.
Although the liquid hit his white shirt and matching cap, Democratic Party President, Norbert Mao walked through Dastur, Market and Burton streets before getting to the Constitutional Square.
The Police and the army rejected appeals to let them into the over-two acre expanse between Buganda and Kampala roads.
Nobody here is armed. We want to claim this place for the public. They will not demote you when you let us in. You will see that we are peaceful people, Mao told the Police and army men who sealed off the place.
According to him, the place was established to celebrate the supremacy of the Constitution not firearms, hence the need to use it.
As Mao argued with the Police, Mayanja announced that they would camp at the square.
Like Mao, he said the Constitutional Square was for those who adhere to the Constitution.
Several youth gathered and chanted We want change as they raised fists, but the Police pushed them away before Mao and Mayanja were arrested and whisked away in a Police van to Kira Road Police Station over failing to comply with Police directives.