UPC demonstrations are expression of non-violent methods towards a regime which they consider illegitimate after elections, while government-nervous of Egypt like protests is coming down hard.

Musinguzi has already apologized for the incident in which police shot live bullets and teargas canisters in 3000 demonstrators injuring several people.

Opposition activities are increasing as ICC is observing events in Uganda. It sent several agents during the February 18 elections, reasoning that Uganda is violent prone.

“We were 3000 of us and security forces shot at us from behind with live bullets and tear gas canisters” says Olara Otunnu.

Police is caught in a dilemma; whether to risk personal and professional ruin by taking in orders “from above” defy them or even join demonstrators.

‘‘I was beaten, while being encouraged by tormentors to increase momentum so that they can join us” says Agnes Nakyagaba a market vendor.
 
Officers like Andrew Sorowen, head of Kampala metropolitan police think a soft approach and negotiating with demonstrators would do. He was fired from his job in February, by Major General Kale Kaihura, Inspector general of Police.

He was replaced by a gung-ho officer, Grace Turyagumanawe remembered for her bare knuckle manner in 2007 in Kampala massive demonstration against forest give away that resulted in four deaths.

Kaihura also fired Moses Sakira deputy chief of criminal investigations department, for hesitating to file charges against Kizza Besigye who had alleged that Museveni sold off Lake Kyoga-where oil was discovered.

“Some DPC have defied orders and are being fired” said Abdu Katuntu who mentioned a DPC in his region who was allegedly fired by Minister of Internal Affairs, Kirunda Kivejinja for refusing to arrest his polling agents. Katuntu defeated  Kivejinja in the February 18 parliamentary race.

Apparently there is power struggle within the police between those that want to retain police as crime busting agency and NRM partisans.

Major General Kale Kaihura, worked as political commissar in Ugandan army has been instrumental in reshaping police concept, Museveni borrowed from FLERIMO community policing model that emphasises social rather than legal action and police keeps ear to the ground.

“Unlike the Egyptian experience where police failed because it was station based, ours work with the people” Kaihura says.

Nevertheless, Museveni does not want the police very much. He has incorporated it into military and under his direct control. Kaihura has re-oriented its training manual towards military and introduced paramilitary organs like Rapid Response Unit, Field Force Unit and Presidential protection unit.

Yet regime insecurity is reflected in massive deployment of Police in Kampala where Police records show ratio of inhabitants to be 100 in contrast to national average of 1880.

Critical voices are getting loud about direction Police is taking. Inter-party cooperation, an umbrella of four opposition parties fear that Police has been tribalized as 28,000 of the 38,000 new recruits have been drawn from Janet Museveni’s home district.

“Fighting crime should be structured where youths are recruited without party discrimination” says Margaret Wokuli, Director Publicity and communication at FDC headquarters.

Donors are also concerned about the quality has been compromised.

“Delivery of justice is not about mass but training and professional growth of Police” says Virginia Blaser, deputy chief of US mission in Kampala and whose government availed $6.3m to train Ugandan Police.

Thus Otunnu is bent on showing that militarizing police is at odds with a government that won elections by landslide. He has gathered four million signatures of those who rejected the February 18 elections.

Positioning himself to lead demonstrations, Otunnu National movement and is using his international connections to rein in on the NRM.

His demonstrations began in Kampala on March 16 and spread to Jinja. Olara has agreed with opposition figures like Sam Lubega who stood as in independent presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye leader of FDC and Ken Lukyamuzi of the Conservative Party.
 
Soft spoken Olara practices warrior diplomacy, raising stakes by keeping up relentless pressure to ultimately force government to negotiate.

Yet momentum has not picked up .Dr Kizza Besigye did not turn up, but travelled to Liberia instead, so was Lukyamuzi .

FDC kept away as government suspects that external powers are sowing seeds of discord and fomenting subversive activities.

Uganda holds two Rwandans whom government thinks were part of the team to organise disturbances. One has reportedly escaped the intelligence net.