Soroti East by election: 40 Opposition members, FDC Party President arrested
More than 40 people including the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party President, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, were picked up last night in a security raid on Elisian Hotel in Soroti city.
The FDC members had set up a camp at the hotel to monitor the Soroti East MP by-election.
Also arrested are the Soroti City East Division Mayor, Paul Omer, and the former Kasese Municipality MP, Robert Centenary.
Faith Apolot, an employee at Elisian Hotel, says that a joint security team comprising the police and army stormed the hotel around 11:30 pm, and everyone out.
She explains that most of the people feared coming out and locked their doors, which prompted the Police to tear gas all the guest rooms before breaking in.
The officers also used hammers to break some of the doors and windows to access the guest rooms.
Apolot explains that police beat up some of the guests before they drove them to an unknown destination.
Simon Peter Sinama, a member of the FDC security team, says that after breaking into the hotel, the officers tore all the appointment letters for polling agents and confiscated a laptop with other important details.
Oscar Gregg Ageca, the East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesman, says that the suspects were engaged in illegal campaigns.
FDC’s troubles started when they attempted to storm the NRM camp at Lion’s Club on Wednesday evening where the Prime Minister, Robbinah Nabbanja, and the State Minister for Education and Sports, Peter Ogwang were reportedly dishing cash to more than 1,000 people.
Although the NRM camp was ably guarded by the Police and army, Ageca said that he is not aware of the alleged bribery meeting held by the NRM camp.
Throughout Wednesday night, several numberless vehicles were seen moving around the contested constituency giving out money and engaging voters at different levels.
Three candidates including FDC’s Moses Attan Okia, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, Herbert Edmond Ariko, and Pascal Amuriat from Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) are tussling it out in the by-election.
