The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, through its legal team, has called on the Uganda Police Force in East Kyoga Region to immediately release its party president, Patrick Amuriat Oboi, and Members of Parliament Joan Alobo Acom (Soroti City Woman MP) and Jonathan Ebwalu (Soroti City West MP).
The three and other FDC activists were arrested earlier today during the No Cow, No Vote campaign, a movement demanding compensation for the Iteso people who lost livestock during the insurgencies of the 1980s and 1990s.
According to FDC’s legal team, led by lawyer Okot Moses Junior Bitek, the arrested leaders and activists are currently being held at the East Kyoga Regional Police Headquarters in Soroti City.
Speaking to journalists, Bitek condemned the police for what he termed “high-handedness and unlawful detention” of his clients.
Bitek, who spent several hours attempting to access the detained leaders, emphasized that their constitutional rights had been violated.
“I drove to the East Kyoga Region Headquarters and it took me nearly six hours before I was allowed to see my clients. Even their family members were denied access, which is a clear violation of their fundamental rights,” he said.
He further stated that the arrested leaders remain strong and determined in their push for justice and compensation for the people of Teso.
“My clients are firm in their resolve. They believe that their advocacy for early cattle compensation and the release of Dr. Kizza Besigye is a legitimate cause. Hon. Alobo and Hon. Ebwalu were consulting their constituents, which is their constitutional right as Members of Parliament,” Bitek explained.
The lawyer accused the police of acting under political influence to suppress the campaign and intimidate opposition figures.
He revealed that police had informed them that the detained individuals were facing charges of “unlawful assembly.”
“We know that unlawful assembly has been outlawed under the Public Order Management Act. If police insist on this charge, they should produce our clients in court within 48 hours. If their case file is not ready, our clients should be released on police bond,” Bitek added.
He also urged residents of Soroti, the people of Teso and Lango, and all Ugandans to remain steadfast in their demands for justice and compensation.
“This struggle is not for personal gain. It is for the current and future generations, the Millennials, the Gen Zs, and all the impoverished people of Soroti and Teso. We cannot allow our leaders to be persecuted for standing up for the rights of their people,” he said.
The FDC legal team has formally requested that the East Kyoga Regional Police release all detainees within 48 hours, either by producing them in court or granting them police bond.
“We have presented our case for police bond. If the police fail to release them, we shall return tomorrow at 10 AM with sureties for all the accused persons,” Bitek confirmed.
As of press time, the East Kyoga Regional Police had not yet issued a formal statement regarding the arrests.
The No Cow, No Vote campaign, spearheaded by MPs from the Teso sub-region, seeks to pressure the government into compensating the Iteso people for the livestock and property they lost during past insurgencies.
Despite several court rulings in favor of compensation and a 2022 commitment by President Yoweri Museveni, implementation has been slow and selective.
MPs Alobo and Ebwalu argue that other regions such as Acholi and Lango have received their payments, while Teso remains neglected.
The arrest of Amuriat, Alobo, and Ebwalu marks a significant escalation in the political tensions surrounding the compensation issue.
FDC leaders claim that the government is using state security forces to silence opposition voices ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The No Cow, No Vote campaign has gained momentum, with leaders warning that failure to compensate Teso war victims could impact President Museveni’s re-election bid.
“We will not back down. If demanding our rights means imprisonment, so be it. If they think arresting us will stop this movement, they are mistaken. The people of Teso will not be silenced,” MP Ebwalu said before his arrest.
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Let people be compensated if at all the money is there.