The youth held a procession on Gulu streets before attacking NUP offices. Despite their noisy presence, the police did not stop them as it has been doing with the Opposition(Photos Emmy Ojara)The Northern Regional National Unity Platform (NUP) party office in Gulu was yesterday attacked by suspected youth gang.
Dressed in red attire and holding placards, the youth stormed the party offices located along Timothy Okee road in Pece-Laroo division at about midday.
Some of the placards they held read: ‘‘we don`t want corruption in NUP, Lina Zedriga Out; We Want Our Money; We Hate Tribalism; We want equality; Bobi Wine respond’’.
Before the attack, the youth who numbered about one hundred held a procession through several streets in Gulu City while playing Bobi Wine`s song ”fighting for freedom’’ on a public address system.
The police did not stop them as is usually the case when the Opposition protests.
Most of the attackers at the NUP offices appeared to be aged between 18-30 and were openly smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol as they blew whistles.
Among the youth was Daniel Soca vying for the Pece-Laroo South Division Council under NUP, Bosco Ocira, the NUP Chairperson for Nwoya and Kennedy Otim a renown NUP member from Pader district.
Upon storming the NUP offices, they scattered documents and broke a laptop, shattered glass windows and also assaulted Gerald Oyegi, the Northern Regional NUP Electoral Commissioner.
The fracas, characterized by angry exchanges, lasted for over one hour with the youth demanding for the closer of the NUP offices with immediate effect until Robert Kyagulanyi, the party`s president heeded to their demands for money.
The situation normalized when heavily armed police intervened and the protesters fled. Five were, however, arrested by police.
Bosco Ocira, the NUP Chairperson for Nwoya who participated in the protest they are discontented with leadership of NUP in Acholi accusing them of corruption and tribalism.
NUP issued a statement disowning the group and accusing them of being the handiwork of the ruling NRM party.
