The republic of uganda in the supreme court of uganda at kampala

THE PRESIDENTIAL PROTECTION UNIT (PPU)

The other aspect of violence arises from the deployment during the presidential election campaign period of the Presidential Protection Unit (PPU) particularly in the districts of Rukungiri and Kanungu If the unit is supposed to protect the President, I find no sound basis for the deployment during the critical campaign period in areas beyond where the first Respondent was, or is, of the unit in the absence of the President in these districts. From evidence available I think that the Presidential Protection Unit was in these areas for the purposes of advancing the first Respondent’s campaign and to frustrate that of the Petitioner. Moreover if the members of the unit were for the purposes of protecting the President, why not confine them in barracks. Cpt. Ndahura claimed that the members of the unit were confined in one place on PPU duties. Yet in the same affidavit he, perhaps unwittingly, suggested that he and his detach helped to disperse an illegal rally. What powers did the PPU have to disperse a rally in which the 1st Respondent did not participate or was not expected to participate?

The violence and intimidation intensified so much that the petitioner and most of the other candidates were on 7/3/2001 forced to write a joint protest to chairman Hajji Aziz Kasujja. That letter forced the chairman to reply in his letter reference EC/1.6 dated 8th March 2000 (should be 2001).
I reproduce here below the two letters;

WRITTEN COMPLAINTS BY CANDIDATES

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES CONSULTATIVE FORUM, 2001

C/o Crest House, Kampala Road, P. 0. Box 194, Kampala

Tel., 077-776600, 077-651131, 077-519302, 077-500461

March 7, 2001

The Chairman

Electoral Commission

KAMPALA.
Dear Hajji Aziz Kasujja,