20110425
Monitor

Kampala/Luweero — Thirty residents of Luweero District were yesterday arrested by police when they tried to take food to Forum for Democratic Change president Kizza Besigye who is being held at a prison in the neighbouring Nakasongola District.

The arrest took place hours after it emerged Dr Besigye's bail hearing scheduled for today at Nabweru Court in Wakiso District, has been moved to a Nakasongola court, over 100 kilometres from Kampala city. Judiciary Spokesman Erias Kisawuzi told Daily Monitor that "all arrangements have been made for Dr Besigye and other stakeholders to attend".

Litany of charges

Dr Besigye is accused of unlawful assembly and inciting violence, charges arising out of his participation in the peaceful protests against high fuel prices. The transfer of the bail hearing for the politician, who has been on remand for six days, Mr Kisawuzi said, is "not the first time and he is not the first person to have his bail hearing transferred to a distant court".

Holding the trial in Nakasongola could also be viewed as a tactical move by the government to avoid hordes of Besigye supporters as well as the press which has documented rough handling of the opposition leader on his previous arrests. As the FDC party protested this development, police last evening warned that it will not allow any procession by opposition supporters.

Deputy IGP in-charge of Community Policing and Chief Political Commissar Asan Kasingye said yesterday that "the people who want to go and see Dr Besigye in case he is bailed out should wait for him at his home and not along the main road to and from Nakasongola".

The FDC secretary for defence, Maj. John Kazoora, was all the same, shocked that their party supporters who were taking chicken, matooke, rice and sodas to Dr Besigye were arrested. "Can you imagine arresting someone just for taking food to Besigye? Which crime is that?" asked Maj. Kazoora yesterday. "These were local people who are sympathetic to Dr Besigye."

It was in Luweero that the 1981 - 86 armed rebellion which brought President Museveni to power was waged. Dr Besigye also participated in this rebellion. To this day, the Luweero Triangle remains a politically emotive area and a touchy subject for Mr Museveni's administration. Led by Mr Bwanika Bbale, the FDC chairman in Luweero, the 30 had walked for 10 kilometres from town before they were arrested at Kasana trading centre.

Luweero District Police Commander Moses Bamuzibire told Daily Monitor that police arrested the individuals because they "would cause congestion outside the prison". "We stopped them and brought them back to Luweero," Mr Bamuzibire said, "They were interrogated and each made a statement. They were advised to go back home."

Mr Bamuzibire said 15 of those arrested were interrogated before all the arrested individuals were released without charge after "reaching an understanding" with police. Police deputy spokesperson Vicent Ssekate said yesterday that police suspected that the group would stage a protest outside Nakasongola prison, a charge vehemently denied by the party. Dr Besigye was remanded by Nabweru Court magistrate Justine Atukwasa on April 21.

Holding the trial in Nakasongola could also be viewed as a tactical move by the government to avoid hordes of Besigye supporters as well as the press which has documented rough handling of the opposition leader on his previous arrests. As the FDC party protested this development, police last evening warned that it will not allow any procession by opposition supporters.

Deputy IGP in-charge of Community Policing and Chief Political Commissar Asan Kasingye said yesterday that "the people who want to go and see Dr Besigye in case he is bailed out should wait for him at his home and not along the main road to and from Nakasongola".

The FDC secretary for defence, Maj. John Kazoora, was all the same, shocked that their party supporters who were taking chicken, matooke, rice and sodas to Dr Besigye were arrested. "Can you imagine arresting someone just for taking food to Besigye? Which crime is that?" asked Maj. Kazoora yesterday. "These were local people who are sympathetic to Dr Besigye."

It was in Luweero that the 1981 - 86 armed rebellion which brought President Museveni to power was waged. Dr Besigye also participated in this rebellion. To this day, the Luweero Triangle remains a politically emotive area and a touchy subject for Mr Museveni's administration. Led by Mr Bwanika Bbale, the FDC chairman in Luweero, the 30 had walked for 10 kilometres from town before they were arrested at Kasana trading centre.

Luweero District Police Commander Moses Bamuzibire told Daily Monitor that police arrested the individuals because they "would cause congestion outside the prison". "We stopped them and brought them back to Luweero," Mr Bamuzibire said, "They were interrogated and each made a statement. They were advised to go back home."

Mr Bamuzibire said 15 of those arrested were interrogated before all the arrested individuals were released without charge after "reaching an understanding" with police. Police deputy spokesperson Vicent Ssekate said yesterday that police suspected that the group would stage a protest outside Nakasongola prison, a charge vehemently denied by the party. Dr Besigye was remanded by Nabweru Court magistrate Justine Atukwasa on April 21.

Otunnu barred

Meanwhile, Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) president Olara Otunnu was yesterday stopped from entering Nakasongola Prison for a second time where he had gone to visit Dr Besigye, Democratic Party leader Norbert Mao and others.

Mr Okello Lucima, the UPC special presidential envoy to the Uganda Diaspora, issued a statement yesterday accusing prison authorities of unlawfully denying Mr Otunnu access to the arrested politicians. "Officers at the gate first claimed the group had arrived after official visiting time, even though it was well before 4pm. After they relented, only Mr Mayanja Kibirige, chairman JEEMA and Hon. Mathias Nsubuga, the secretary general of DP, were allowed to proceed to visit the detainees," reads the statement.

Mr Lucima said the guards refused to allow Mr Otunnu entry, claiming he needed a "special letter from the Prisons Headquarters, in order to gain admission". "It is a classic replication of the arbitrary and personalised nature of the State -- the abuse of power at the top level of government is reproduced downwards; every position, every office, is a fiefdom and their holders little despots in imitation of the man at the top."