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| Police used a water cannon truck to splash water on Dr Besigye making him lose balance in Kireka, a city suburb, on Monday morning. Police engaged the politician in battles before arresting and detaining him. |
By Our
Correspondent, KAMPALA Uganda
The Uganda Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga has questioned the state of the
multiparty system in the country, citing the persistent brutality and
harassment of Opposition groups.
This was during a Tuesday sitting where police
brutality against the Forum for Democratic Change-(FDC) party members and
including former party leader Dr Kizza Besigye was debated.
Ms Kadaga said Ugandans need to know whether there
is really a multiparty system and whether it is being practiced in good spirit,
since parties are registered and funded but are not allowed to meet, organise
and do anything.
On Monday,
heavily armed police backed with armoured vehicles and water cannons sprayed
Besigye’s cars almost throwing him out of the roof top of his car.
Dr Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and
other Opposition leaders of FDC, had been scheduled to hold a conference at
Mandela National Stadium Namboole on Monday.
The party had organised a two-day leadership party
seminar to discuss their strategy for the 2021 General Election.
But by sunrise, police had sealed off all access
points to the stadium, barring anyone near the precincts of the stadium.
This later prompted Dr Besigye and other FDC
officials to abandon Namboole and head to the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi
on Entebbe Road.
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| The Uganda Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga |
Dr Besigye and party officials started the journey
to Najjanankumbi in a procession but at Banda market on Jinja Road, police
intercepted them. Police fired multiple rounds of teargas canisters to disperse
the crowds.
Police ordered Dr Besigye to get out of his car. He
declined and locked himself inside. Police brought a truck to tow his car away
but the chain failed and snapped twice.
Dr Besigye’s driver acted fast and manoeuvered
around the towing truck and drove away.
Police followed him in hot pursuit and caught up
with him as he ran into heavy traffic jam at Nakawa-Spear Motors junction.
Police smashed his car’s windscreen, lobbed teargas
into his car and fired water cannons at him subduing him with the powerful
volleys of water explosions.
He endured for a moment but finally succumbed to
the impact of water cannons and tear gas explosions before being forced out of
his Toyota Land Cruiser and arrested.
He was briefly detained at Naggalama Police Station
but released at about 10pm last night after being charged with inciting
violence and unlawful assembly.
The Leader of Opposition, Betty Aol Ochan said
members of the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party have been
gathering freely without governments approval but opposition meetings are
always foiled by police.
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| Police used a water cannon truck to splash water on Dr Besigye making him lose balance in Kireka |
Mr Chris Baryomunsi, the State Minister for Housing
asked police to do its work professionally but also advised political actors to
learn to respect police. He called upon FDC not to take on the defiance
approach.
Gen Moses Ali, the first Deputy Prime Minister
directed the Internal Affairs Minister to present a statement on what
transpired during the Kireka fracas.
He, however, drew outrage from the opposition when
he said they will look at why Police used water cannons against Dr Besigye
instead of teargas.
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