Jailed former Youth MP Contestant released

By Andrew Cohen Amvesi

ARUA. Jackson Abindu who was on Tuesday embarrassed by Arua City law enforcement officers has been released from police cells unconditionally.

Abindu (in red) being dragged by the law enforcement officers to the City Clerk’s office on Tuesday

The law enforcement officers roughed up Abindu for allegedly blocking them from evicting street vendors, mainly women selling food items along Avenue Road in Arua town.

The standoff that nearly lasted for 30 minutes angered the officers who in turn dragged Abindu to Arua central police station where he was briefly detained.

But as they roughed him up, Abindu kept on accusing the law enforcement officers for using excessive power against the women.

He demanded that the officers should first write to the street vendors and give them time to leave the road other than ambushing them like that.

“What these people (the law enforcement officers) are doing is illegal. They should have given these women notice and on top, give them time to leave the streets,” said Abindu who in 2020 declared interest to contest as the Northern Uganda Youth MP on the NRM ticket.

According to Abindu, the street vendors have families to look after, a reason they should not be treated like dogs.

“We need justice for these vendors because they are also people. You can’t just wake-up to chase them like this. It is illegal!” Abindu shouted.

But the law enforcement officers glued on Abindu until they dragged him up to Arua CPS.

However, the politician was later released unconditionally after none of the law enforcement officers showed interest in recording a statement against him.

When contacted by the Red Pepper after his release, Abindu said he is going to start where he stopped by mobilizing the street vendors (women) to match to the office of Arua City Clerk.

“I’m now going to mobilize these women so that we match together to petition the office of the City Clerk over the action of his law enforcement officers. We are not going to sit and look at such people. The women they are chasing like dogs are willing to vacate the streets, but they first need to be notified in writing and given time to vacate the streets instead of harassing them,” Abindu said.