A number Residents of Rukungiri district in western Uganda have heeded to Forum for Democratic Change’s calls for civil action to arm-twist government into freeing their party’s presidential candidate Col Dr Kizza Besigye who remains under police guard at his home in Kasangati.
The locals this morning demonstrated by not showing up for work, as asked by the opposition party at the start of the week.
The FDC on Monday announced what they terms as the “Free my Vote” campaign in which members and supporters were asked stay at home every Thursday to show solidarity with Col Besigye who has been kept in confinement for more than three weeks.
The protests also would include boycotting businessmen and artists that are supportive of the NRM regime.
On Thursday midmorning, most of the shops in the western municipality were found to be closed with minimal traffic on the streets.
Col Besigye Besigye hails from the same district and enjoys enormous support there.
The campaign has however come under criticism from some sections of the public who questioned its primary intentions.
Some people believe that the pretests are aimed at weakening the country’s election, while others including Col Kizza Besigye’s wife Mrs Winnie Byanyima are concerned that bits of the campaign are “misguided.”