Supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party have successfully held a procession along major streets of Gulu city – with police offering them security instead of dispersing them as it has done with opposition candidate processions.The group mainly composed of youths, boda boda operators and market vendors on Monday marched through Gulu Main street, Airfield road, Acholi Lane, Ring road, Sir Samuel Baker road among others for several hours.

Dressed in yellow T-shirts, caps and other NRM attires and displaying Museveni’s campaign posters, the youth were led by a pickup vehicle loaded with a public address system that was repeatedly playing Bosmic Otim’s song “Mzee Wakazi”, a song that praises President Yoweri Museveni for restoring peace in northern Uganda, development as well as prosperity.

Only a handful of them appeared to be wearing face masks, and no physical social distancing was being observed much as it is a requirement by government and ministry of Health as a safety measure to contain the spread of coronavirus disease in the country.

The youth chanted victory for NRM party in the upcoming 2021 general elections, they made stopovers in front of Gulu Central police station, opposite Centenary bank, at the main junction of Gulu Main street and next to Stanbic bank where they danced for several minutes bringing businesses to a standstill.

Traffic police officers and the field force police officers struggled with the youth to allow normal traffic flow while soldiers of the presidential Special Force Command (SFC) heavily deployed along the streets looked helplessly while others cheered at them.

The NRM campaign concluded its first week of campaigns with candidate Museveni meeting youth leaders from West Nile and Lango sub-regions.

The procession was held before the scheduled campaign of President Museveni at Watoto Church in Gulu city. Museveni is expected to address the party delegates from Acholi at Watoto Church in Gulu City. Museveni has on several occasions warned opposition candidates against holding processions and mass rallies amidst the coronavirus pandemic.Many delegates including the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, deputy speaker of parliament Jacob Oulanyah, Hillary Onek, NRM MPs among others have already arrived at the venue.