Inside the arrest, release of Uganda female opposition legislators

KAMPALA, Uganda

At least 11-woman Members of Parliament were on Thursday morning arrested by police for protesting the continued harassment of colleagues by security agencies but their detention lasted a few hours.

The arrested legislators included Joyce Bagala(Mityana woman MP) Kaaya Christine Nakimwero (Kiboga District), Florence Kabugho (Kasese district ), Betty Ethel Naluyima (Wakiso), Joan Acom Alobo (Soroti City) and Asinansi Nyakato (Hoima City) and Suzan Mugabi(Buvuma).

Others were Hellen Nakimuli(Kalangala), Joan Kakande, Manjeri Kyebakutika(Jinja City), Hanifa Nabukeera(Mukono) and Joan Namutaawe(Masaka).

They were later detained at the Central Police Station pending either release on bond or being taken to court after police accused them of obstructing traffic at the entrance of parliament and holding an unlawful assembly.

A few minutes after 3pm, Speaker Anita Among’s convoy arrived at the Central Police Station in Kampala amid heavy security at the headquarters of Kampala Metropolitan Police.

The speaker’s security detail would later take over everything at the Central Police Station.

The usual general duty police officers who are usually in charge of security at CPS were relegated to only watching as things unfolded at the own premises.

On arrival, the speaker was received by the KMP commander, Stephen Tanui ,Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basaalirwa and opposition Chief Whip John Nambeshe among other MPs.

She was later ushered into the office of senior commissioner of police Stephen Tanui, the Kampala Metropolitan Commander for a brief meeting.

The two would later meet the detained female MPs in one of the boardrooms but details of the meeting are still scanty.

Meanwhile, a few minutes later, the legislators were released and left in the speaker’s convoy.

Whereas three detectives had been sent by police at parliament to record statements from the detained MPs, these left empty-handed.

Meanwhile, Speaker Among’s visit changed everything as police had finalized plans to have the MPs separated and spend the night at Kira road, Wandegeya and the Central Police Station.

Surprisingly, it emerged that the protesting MPs had not been booked yet as suspects at CPS , alien to the police standard procedure.