KAMPALA – Police has blocked Bobi Wine’s Independence Day music concert at his One Love Beach Busabala, claiming the Kyadondo East MP does not guarantee lawfulness, safety and security for the public and the organisers.
“This serves to inform you that the notice to the Inspector General of Police has remarkable efficiencies that do not guarantee lawfulness, safety and security for the public and the organisers. Regretfully, therefore, the staging of the said concert cannot be allowed to proceed until the concerns raised are satisfactorily addressed,” the October 2 letter signed by AIGP Asuman Mugyenyi on behalf of the Inspector General of Police reads in part.
In September, Bobi Wine wrote to Police, asking for clearance to be able to stage the Independence Day concert dubbed ‘Osobola’ at his One Love Beach in Busaabala.
But in the written response, the Inspector General of Police says Bobi Wine did not clearly specify plans for medical care, traffic control, crowd control, and security in the application as per the earlier guidelines given by the concert organisers and therefore police cannot risk allowing the event continue.
“Besides, police would not be able to fully provide the requested for security as our main effort will be on securing the national Independence Day celebrations in Sironko district,” the letter adds.
The letter is a setback to the artiste-cum politician who has since Monday been rehearsing for the event. On Monday, Bobi Wine told journalists that the concert will go on, despite failure by police to respond to their letter.
“We are interpreting the silence from the police as a green light,”Bobi Wine said.
Last year, Police blocked Bobi Wine’s music concerts over Christmas despite Parliament saying the move was unconstitutional.
On Christmas day, he was meant to perform at Ggaba beach and on Boxing Day he was to hold his concert at his One Love Beach in Busabala.
Despite police earlier allowing the two concerts to take place, they later turned around and blocked them to the chagrin of Bobi Wine.
