KAMPALA – Two events organisers have dragged the Inspector General of Police and Attorney General to court challenging the cancellation of the Kyarenga Extra Concerts.
In their lawsuit filed before the High Court Civil Division by Abtex Productions and Bajjo Events and Marketing Agency Limited state that the IGP’s decision stopping them from organizing Kyarenga Extra Concerts were made in violation of their right to a fair hearing guaranteed under Articles 28, 42 and 44 of the constitution.
The two through their lawyer Erias Lukwago claim that they entered into a contract for services with Mr. Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine to organize musical concerts during Easter Period/ Festivities in different parts including Busabala Kampala, Lira, Gulu, and Arua.
According to the agreement, Bobi Wine and his Crew were meant to perform at the said concerts and also provide more artists for the utmost entertainment of the revellers at a total consideration of Shs230m and resultantly the applicants (events companies) paid half of the consideration to Bobi Wine being a non-refundable booking fee on all shows.
Mr. Abtex and Mr. Bajjo contend that on March 25, 2019, wrote to IGP requesting for security at the said events.
They say IGP wrote back asking them to fulfill all conditions which included clearance to use intended venues, ambulance facilities, list of performers each venue and detailed program for each activity which they did.
“We were aggrieved and shocked in IGP’s letter dated April, 19th, 2019 when he directed us to immediately suspend and stop all concerts without advancing any valid reasons,” reads in part the court documents.
They are also challenging the manner in which they were arrested on 22nd/April/2019 the day on which the Kyarenga Extra Concerts were to premier at Busabala Beach, which deprived them of their personal liberties and amounted to violation of their right to carry on trade and business as enshrined in Articles 20, 23 and 40 of the Constitution.
The city promoters are also challenging a decision by the IGP made on 19th/April/2019 which was indefinitely stopping the applicants from organizing Kyarenga Extra Concerts at One Love Beach Busabala, Lira, Gulu, and Arua.
Bajjo and Abitex now argue that the conduct of Police thought the entire process was fraught with irrationality illegality and procedural impropriety bad faith and amounted to the violation of their freedom of liberty and economic rights enshrined in the constitution.
They now want the court to declare the actions of police illegal and unlawful on grounds their constitutional rights to a fair hearing were allegedly violated.
They further want the court to issue an order stopping police and its agents from unduly interfering with their concerts. They also want an order for general and exemplary damages for violations of the rights and freedoms.
This matter has been allocated to justice Lydia Mugambe for hearing.
