Ugandan opposition activists on Friday postponed a rally in solidarity with protests in North Africa, after security forces banned them from the venue and deployed heavily at the location.
Activists called off Friday’s rally to give police "one last opportunity for dialogue" amid fears of a violent response if the demonstration went ahead, said Mathias Mpuga, coordinator of the Activists For Change coalition.
Several recent opposition rallies over rising food and fuel prices have been broken up by police using tear gas.
Protest coordinators said that Uganda was ready for a North African-style popular uprising and warned that perceived partisanship from the police could drive people away from peaceful demonstration and towards violent insurrection.
"We want to do things the Tunisian or Egyptian way, but they are pushing us the Libyan way," Mpuga said.
Ugandan opposition protests over rising living costs in April led to a brutal clampdown by security forces that left at least 10 people dead across the country.
"We have never had any intention to engage in activism that would endanger fellow activists as well as the work of other ordinary Ugandans not concerned with our protests," Mpuga said.
Police on Wednesday banned the opposition from holding the rally at the prominent Clock Tower grounds in central Kampala on security grounds, but offered to let the opposition hold the rally at another venue.
"We are formally announcing that we are shifting the rally from today to Friday next week at the same time and same venue," said Mpuga.
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