Election Campaigns: FDC’s Patrick Amuriat Gets ‘Rude Welcome’ in Bunyoro

After a streak of running battles with Police, Patrick Oboi Amuriat aka POA has yet again had a torrid time canvassing for votes in Bunyoro Region after he was pepper sprayed and two of his campaign meetings dispersed.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Presidential Candidate had been scheduled to traverse Kiryandongo and Masindi Districts on Wednesday November 25, 2020, according to the Electoral Commission (EC) Programme.

Amuriat started his day on a high, addressing mini rallies at Karuma and Diima trading centers (all in Kiryandongo) but  the situation got out of hand when a mammoth crowd of cheering supporters quickly formed a procession.

Sensing trouble, Police, commanded by Kiryandongo District Police Commander (DPC) Joseph Bakaleke, at first tried to deter the growing crowd from blocking the Gulu-Masindi high way but was overwhelmed.

Bakaleke and his squad tried to escort Amuriat to a venue they had organized away from the city center but all in vain. Instead, he (Amuriat) parked and started waving to crowds aloft his V8 vehicle, a move that triggered an altercation between the former and latter.

In the fracas, Amuriat was pepper sprayed by a yet to be identified officer but this only emboldened him.

“This dictatorship must fall and it is going to fall with this one (Bakaleke). You may want to tear gas us, pepper spray us or even kill us. We will never give up,” Amuriat ranted.

After being subdued, Amuriat drove to the periphery of the town where he addressed a minute rally before proceeding to Kiryandongo town.

In a similar fashion, he was swarmed by Party adherents who attempted to hold a procession but Police quickly dispersed them with tear gas and they took to their heels.

Upon realizing that he had been barred from meeting voters, Amuriat jumped out of his car purportedly to buy a chapatti but Police simply watched on and thereafter escorted him to the border with Masindi.

In Kijura town, Amuriat once again tested Police’s nerves by attempting to speak to residents but was interrupted by police officers who unsuccessfully tried to confiscate his mobile public address system.

A combined team of Military and Police thereafter fired live bullets to scare the infuriated supporters. He was later driven out of town under military guard.

According to reliable sources, Amuriat will today, Thursday officiate at the launch of his Presidential manifesto in Hoima City. It is not yet clear whether the Party’s founding President Rtd. Col Kizza Besigye will grace the function.