Besigye Arrested, Released Without Charge
Kiiza Besigye Being arrested during the 2011 protests.
Former Forum for Democratic Change leader Rtd Col Dr Kiiza Besigye who was on Saturday arrested by the Police for disobeying lawful orders after he attempted to participate in the planned cleaning exercise that the Police had outlawed was released later on Saturday night without any charges, according to one of his aides Francis Mwijukye.
Mwijukye who is a member of FDC’s National Publicity committee said the Rtd Col refused to sign a Police bond and be released without charge, however he was forced to change his mind at around 10 pm in the night when Police officers at Kiira Road Police station ‘deserted’ it leaving his team with no option but to take him home.
“Police was yesterday thrown into confusion after Dr. Besigye refused to make a statement at police and refused to sign a police release bond. He said he cant leave the police unless he is charged. He also said he cant sign a police bond because he did not request for it and at around 10pm security started abandoning the station one by one until only juniors remained and we took the Dr. home. They had been used to… take him to the police cells and in the evening they make him sign a statement and give him a police bond. now the game has changed, no more talking at police” read Mwijukye’s statement posted on his Facebook wall Sunday morning.
Police authorities said Saturday they arrested Kizza Besigye over plans to restart anti-government demonstrations in Kampala with the excuse of a cleaning exercise.
“Following attempts to unlawfully assemble and carry out riotous demonstrations … Kizza Besigye has been arrested this morning,” a Police statement said on Saturday.
The police said Besigye was charged with “refusal to obey lawful orders” and was being held at a Kampala police station along with Kampala mayor Elias Lukwago. However, this is contrary to Mwijukye’s statement that didnt indicate whether the Rtd colonel was charged
Opposition pressure group For God and My Country (4GC) announced plans last week to launch fresh protest events, despite the fact the group was last year outlawed by government.
The government banned the group claiming it had ulterior motives other than demonstrating against the harsh economic times during that period.
The group held Protests dubbed ‘walk-to-work’ over rising living costs in 2011 in the aftermath of the general elections and this led to a fierce clampdown by security forces that left at least 10 people dead across the country.
Kiiza Besigye, a former presidential challenger and leader of main opposition party Forum for Democratic Change, has been detained repeatedly as he has endeavored to restart opposition demonstrations.
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