Police Stole My Shoes, Belt – Besigye

DRAMA ERUPTED at Dr. Kizza Besigye’s home in Kasangati last Saturday when he rapped Uganda Police for allegedly ‘stealing his shoes and belt’. Besigye alleges that last Monday when he was arrested in downtown Kampala and taken to CPS where he was later transferred to Kasangati Police station, DPC Francis

Tumwesigye forced him to remove his shoes, belt and money. Besigye added that he was given a receipt indicating the property he was handing over to police but on leaving the cells in the evening, he was grabbed, forced into a police van and thrown at his gate without the shoes, belt and money. “I wasn’t given anything on leaving the cells. How would I have got the shoes when they grabbed me from the cells and threw me at my gate?” he asked.

Sam Omala, Kampala Metropolitan North Police operations boss, then ordered police to investigate if it requires DPC Tumwesigye to be recalled (was transferred) to come and tell the whereabouts of the shoes and belt. But Omala was optimistic Besigye was pulling a stunt to smear police because other senior officers at the station like Magoola who had registered Besigye’s property pointed a finger at him saying he dressed up before leaving the cells.

“I know Besigye; he is now trying to create confusion and tarnish police’s image but I believe in the senior officers that they are telling the truth,” Omala said. Besigye said his Shs2.7m was delivered, but said would lodge a complaint for his shoes and belt this week. Meanwhile the Opposition icon threatened to beat security deployment at his Kasangati home for the third time and protest at the Constitutional Square on the much awaited Independence Day tomorrow.

“Trust me; I will be at City Square on Independence Day. This is my house. I know how I will get out, as I have always done,” Besigye told off Kampala North head of police operations, Sam Omala. He said he called the press conference basically to update the country about the activities of 4GC under the new banner ‘Walk To Freedom’. He added that ‘Walk To Freedom’ is meant to protest against 50 years of poor leadership since independence and that they would carry on with the protests even after the Independence Day celebrations.

“My call is that people shouldn’t look at this protest and think we are against Independence Day! This is a coincidence, a reason we shall continue after the celebrations,” he said. He added that he will protest until Museveni is forced to quit power.

Besigye said that though they resolved to use peaceful means to change the political landscape of this country, they will forcefully change the regime. “You know you can change the Government forcefully, not violently. We shall protest and Museveni will be forced to leave power,” he said. Besigye also mocked Kampala Metropolitan Commander Andrew Kaweesi’s statement he made on Thursday that Police is not blocking him from walking. It was at this point that Besigye decided to demonstrate to journalists that Kaweesi’s statement was not true. He got out of his gate only to be blocked by Omala who assured him that he has no right to move because he attracts protests in the city and that as police, it is their mandate to keep law and order.

“I am doing everything lawful. Colonel, you will not walk,” Omala said. It’s his utterances that caused a heated verbal exchange between Besigye and the motor mouthed officer. Besigye assured Omala that he will walk when he wants because he knows his home better and that police should wait for him at City Square on Independence Day. “Mr Omala, see you on Independence Day at City Square. I will have to get out, these Police officers can’t match my tricks,” Besigye said after his efforts to move out of his compound were thwarted.

Kaweesi on Saturday warned Besigye against disrupting the Independence Day celebrations saying he will not allow any lawlessness in the city.

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