The Electoral Commission has advised all the presidential aspirants to engage with the police to avoid clashing with each other during the consultation exercise.
This was after a closed door meeting between presidential aspirants, EC members and the police.
The meeting came after People Power leader Robert Kyagulanyi, was stopped from holding three meetings this week.
Kyagulanyi obtained permission from electoral commission to consult the electorate on his plan for the presidency in the 2021 elections.
However police intercepted the consultative meetings on allegations of not fulfilling some of the requirements in the Public Order Management Act.
Police’s director of operations, Asuman Mugenyi and Grace Akullu represented the force in the meeting.
Kyagulanyi arrived at the office of the electoral commission around 11:00am and the premises were surrounded by heavy deployment
Addressing the media, the chairperson EC, Justice Simon Byabakama advised police and the contestants to continue engaging each other to sort out their differences.
“The bulk of allegations and complaints by the aspirants were to do with the methods of police. It was imperative that the police be part of this meeting and it was also imperative that further engagement with the police who take place within themselves and the aspirants,”he said.
Byabakama said there was misunderstanding in the interpretation of law which could have caused grievances between the people power group and the police.
“These are some of the issues we are looking at. We agreed that let both groups settle down and examine the obligation imposed on the either the aspirants and the police in the framework of the law,” he said.
On his part, Kyagulanyi told his supporters and journalists in Kamwokya that police had apologised for their actions.
“Police admitted for their wrong doings and their illegal activities,”he said.
He said during the close door meetings an agreement was reached at to reschedule the consultation meetings and police agreed to cooperate.
“This time police promised to observe the law and not to behave in an illegal manner. The electoral commission promised to follow this matter very closely because that is their responsibility,”he said.
