Critic of Ugandan President arrested following violence at rally

TO photo

By

Gloria Nakiyimba

Security operatives in Uganda have transferred Member of Parliament for Kyadondo East Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, to Gulu following a violent scuffle which left his driver dead.

Yassin Kawuma was shot dead on Monday evening by yet unidentified people who fired live bullets at a Tundra car belonging to the legislators.

Bobi Wine, Arua municipality candidate Kasiano Wadri, Gerald Byaruhanga, Paul Mwiru and Mike Mabike were arrested following the violence on Monday in which supporters attacked a presidential motorcade.

While briefing the media in Kampala on Tuesday on the Arua situation, Police spokesperson Emilian Kayima noted that supporters of Wadri, with support from imported groups led by Hon Kyagulanyi, violently attacked the presidential convoy, pelting it with stones and smashing the windscreen of one of the presidential cars.

The MP and several others were arrested at the Hotel Pacific after security operatives mounted an extensive search and Hon Kyagulanyi was found hiding in the ceiling of his hotel room.

According to police earlier on Monday, a tractor-grader was packed in the middle of the road to obstruct the president’s motorcade at a transport junction road in the West Nile district of Arua.

Others arrested were journalists Hubert Ziwa and Muwanga Ronald of NTV. The two men have since been released on police bond.

They were charged with the offence of incitement of violence and malicious damage and ordered to appear before Gulu Police station on the 17th of this month.

Police publicist Kayima said that the suspects will help police with its investigations into the matter. He cautioned the public that it was criminal to obstruct or attack a presidential motorcade.

The president was in Arua on Monday to campaign for the NRM candidate Nusura Tiperu ahead of the by-election taking place on Wednesday. At the same time Hon. Kyagulanyi and others were in the same area campaigning for one of the opposition candidates, Ezat Kassiano Wadri.

The seat fell vacant in June following the brutal murder of Area legislator Ibrahim Abiriga who was gunned down by unknown assailants as he drove back to his home in Kawanda.

Police have assured the public of security during the exercise. “Our readiness to secure the elections tomorrow is total. We encourage all voters in Arua municipality to come out and exercise their constitutional and democratic rights to freely cast their votes for their preferred candidate,” stated Kayima.

In a related development, Uganda’s Inspector General of Police Okoth Ochola transferred the District Police Commander Arua over the Monday violence.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday signed by the Director Human Resource Administration in police, Superintendent of Police Abbas Ssenyonjo was moved to Masaka District with immediate effect.

This, according to the Director Human Resource Administration Moses Balimwoyo SP Ssenyonjo, failed to control crowds that smashed the windscreen of one of the presidential cars.

Gloria Nakiyimba

Gloria has experience spanning more than five years in Journalism, particularly in field reporting, editing, newscasting and management. She is currently working with Capital Radio Limited [91.3 Capital FM and 96.3 Beat FM] as Head of News, a position she has held since 2010.

Gloria previously worked as the Kampala Correspondent for Radio France International [RFI] generating local story leads with international inference for RFI’s global audience. She also served as Political Editor for The Weekly Mail Newspaper as well as Online Content Editor for the California based Ugandan broadcaster KubutakaRadio.com.