Hoima police have today arrested four National Unity Platform (NUP) members for filling potholes on Perse Road in East Division, Hoima City.
Led by the NUP Secretary General, Mr Gerald Tumusiime, the opposition politicians decided to carry out community service on the road that has for decades remained in a bad shape.
No sooner had the NUP members started filling the dents than the police led by the officer in charge of operations at Hoima police station, ASP Albert Pemason, arrived at the scene and apprehended them.
Mr David Friday, the Chairman Vegetable Dealers at Hoima Central Market, was irked by police action saying it is the duty of every citizen to carry out community service where need arises.
The NUP Spokesman for Hoima City, Mr Hannington Kasasa, said the opposition politicians were exhibiting a national spirit of ensuring a better road infrastructure in the city.
“They [NUP politicians] did not come to demonstrate but to do community work which the authorities have failed to do for a long time. We [NUP members] promise to correct in a full way all the mistakes that the city authorities have failed to correct,” Mr Kasasa asserted.
Although Mr Iddi Magezi, the councillor for East Division appreciated the work the opposition politicians were doing, he faulted them for not informing the city authorities.
However, he promised to join them next time when they carry out the same activity.
The Hoima City Clerk, Mr Innocent Ahimbisibwe, admitted that the road is in a sorry state but revealed that the city authorities have already got a contractor who will work on the road under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme.
The City Clerk criticised the NUP members for not involving the city leaders in the activity.
This website could not ably get a comment from the Albertine Region Police Publicist, ASP Julius Allan Hakiza.
