Two events promoters have petitioned the high court seeking orders to declare the 14th April directive by the inspector General of police to ban all kyarenga concerts of the Kayadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi wine countrywide null and void.
The promoters include Abe Musinguzi of Abetex entertainment and Bajjo events and Market entertainment.
Through renown city lawyer and also opposition politician Erias Lukwago, the applicants are suing the inspector General of police and the government of Uganda through the attorney General.
These claim that the IGP directive was unconstitutional since it they were never given a fair hearing.
These are also challenging their alleged violent arrest at Busabala one love beach on the 20th of April when one of the said Kyarenga concert was expected to take place.
They further claim that other Kyarenga concerts had been organized in Gulu Arua among other places but were all concerned.
They say that the IGPs directive was unfair and unreasonable and a violation of their human Rights.
They are now seeking court to declare the said directive null and void and instead ask court to order police to provide security at their future concerts instead of blocking them.
Speaking immediately after filling the petition, Lukwago revealed that his client's main prayer is not compensation but want their concerts not to be blocked by the Uganda police countrywide.
He says his clients lost businesses, incurred costs and spent a lot of money in organizing the said blocked concerts including in advertisement and paying for service providers and other attendant costs.
He adds that in the wisdom of court and if court indeed finds that the IGP directive was wrong and that his clients indeed suffered loses, incured costs and suffered damages , then court should award them compesation.
Justice Lydia Mugambe has been appointed to hear the case.
On ths 10th of May this year, the Highcourt in Kampala dismissed an application in which contraversial local Musician turned politician and also Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi ak Bobi wine had sued the Uganda Police of violating his rights to work and earn a living by banning his musical shows .
Presiding judge Harrieta Woloyo instead declined to stop police from blocking and interfering in Bobi wine's music shows on grounds that BobiWine failed to demonstrate in his evidence how the banned music shows violated his rights to work , freedom of assembly, association and speech among other freedoms.
In her rulling, justice Woloyo explained that Bobwine failed in his duty to prove to court on how the Uganda police and the Attorney General violated his rights.
The judge based her rulling on written submissions since she did not entertain oral submissions in the case.
On the 8th of October 2017, Bobiwine petitioned the high court in which he claimed that he has lived all his adult life earning a living through live music perfomaces until on 8th of October 2017 when police banned his shows while fronting security concerns.
In his defence, Bobiwine stated that the police's reasons for blocking his musical shows were a b violation of his right to work and freedoms to speech, liberty and movement.
Through renowned Human rights lawyer Ladislous Rwakafuuzi , Bobi Wine claimes that he has since lost 300 million shillings for his cancelled shows at Colline Hotel Mukono, Kamuli, Busoga and in Kasese district where he had been invited and paid 20 million by his fellow legislator Jackson Mbaju to perform for his supporters in Busongora South County.
The banned shows we're supposed to take place between 12th/ and 21st /October 2017 respectively.
According to the plaint , the claimed 300 million shillings arise out of partial payments music promoters had made to Bobi Wine and numerous advertisements inform of banners and posters that were plucked down by police men and crime preventers.
Bobi Wine waa seeking prohibition orders against the Attorney General and the Kampala Metropolitan police commander Frank Mesigwa whom he accused of threatening to end his music career from permanently interfering in his stage performances.
Bobi Wine had stated that unless court intervened in his situation, his livelihood and that of his family hanged in jeopardy.
Up-to-date police continues to prevent Bobiwine from holding any musical shows anywhere in Uganda including his beach in Busabala.