Gushegu Municipal Police Commander, DSP Thomas Tulensi, has emphasized the need for strict adherence to the Public Order Act. DSP Tulensi explained that the people need to know about the Public Order Act to prevent chaos in society.
He said the act was promoted to control how special events should be organized. Section 1 of the act, he explained, states that any person who desires to hold any event shall notify the police five clear days before the event. The five days he added were to enable the police to ascertain if there was another special event on the same day. Some of the special events he mentioned were the outdoing of the new chief, political rallies, demonstrations, carnivals, and processions, among others.
DSP Tulensi entreated the people in the Gushegu area to ensure that before holding any such event, they specifically state in writing the place, hours, nature, and time of the event.
Notifying the police, he added that the event will come off because if the police officer has reasonable grounds to believe that if the special event is held, it may lead to violence or danger to public events, public order, safety, or the running of essential services, he may request the organizers postpone the event to any other day or may propose a different root, destination, or time of closure of the event.
DSP Thomas Tulensi was addressing youth groups and some residents of Gushegu at a day of public engagement organized by the National Commission for Civic Engagement under the European Union-funded program for Preventing and Containing Violence Extremism in the northern region.
DSP Tulensi reminded the people that notification of special events should not be given to police officers below the rank of assistant superintendent.
Section of the act, he said, would mandate the police officers to direct or guide events such as demonstrations. In order not to lose sanity on the roads. The act he explained further states that any distraction of property will be held liable and subject to a surcharge.
He commended NCCE and the EU for making it possible to engage the youth in the area.