Police will continue to hold Besigye — Ofwono Opondo

Uganda Media Centre boss Ofwono Opondo has said that Uganda Police will continue to hold Kizza Besigye at his Kasangati home if he does not retract his defiance message.

Besigye’s home has been besieged by police since the 18th February presidential election and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate in the election is not allowed to leave his home.

A number of government official including Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura and Internal Affair Minister Rose Akol Okullo recently said Besigye will not regain his freedom unless he retracts the defiance statement.

“Besigye should recant his defiance message. If he does, police will withdraw. Otherwise, police will continue to constrain him,” Opondo said.

He opined that if Besigye has a case regarding “high handedness on the part of the police,” he should report to the police.

Rebutting Opondo’s arguments, Counsel David Mushabe said opposition in this country has been suffocated.

“Dr. Kizza Besigye has been under house arrest for 30 days,” he noted.

“Besigye has been arrested without charge and his house has been turned into a detention facility. it’s Illegal.”

Commenting on the post-election UPDF, police deployment around the country, Opondo said it sends “good signals that the country is safe. We would be worried if the officers were harassing people.”

However, Mushabe argued that UPDF, police deployment is not evidence of tranquility.

“The regime is in panic and is reminding the public we are still in charge,” he said.