FDC's Ingrid Turinawe arrested

FDC women league chairperson Ingrid Turinawe being ordered to get out of her car by Kiira Police Station Commander, James Ruweza. Photo by Stephen Otage

Police this Monday morning surrounded FDC women league chairperson Ingrid Turinawe’s home in Canaan Sites Estate, Nakwera, after Gayaza Trading Centre and later arrested her after she disobeyed a Police directive to return to her home and insisted on driving to Kampala.

Turinawe says she woke up to find her home surrounded by police, and identified the Kiira Police Station Commander, James Ruweza, and the Operations commander Kampala North Metropolitan, Sam Omara, among the policemen. When she opened her door, Ruweza told her she was not allowed to go to town because police suspected she was going to do “funny things” in town.

However, a group of youth who had come to her home after seeing the police ended up pushing her stalled car towards Gayaza trading centre, after Turinawe insisted on leaving her residence. The police withdrew to Kasangati police station, and Turinawe’s car was pushed to Gayaza Market Lorry Park where she addressed an impromptu rally.

At the Lorry park, Turinawe thanked the Police for creating awareness about her residence in the area by surrounding her home in the early hours of Monday. “I thank the police for letting you know that I am a resident of this area. Most times you have been hearing about me but you did not know I stay here. I am Ingrid Turinawe the coordinator of Walk to Work,” adding, “I am the woman who was jailed in Luzira Prison on allegations of plotting to overthrow President Museveni. Is it a crime to overthrow Museveni? If he has failed to deliver to the people why doesn’t he leave those who can govern to rule? He must go.”

After her address, she urged the people to go to work, saying she was headed to work herself. But attempts to start her vehicle failed because of a flat battery. After fixing it with the help of the youths, she tried to drive away but was ordered to Kasangati police station by James Ruweza.

Turinawe rejected this, saying the police did not have an arrest warrant. The accompanying argument prompted the youth to start throwing stones at the Police who responded by firing tear gas at them. In the fracas, the FDC iron lady was forced out of her Toyota Noah and bundled into a Police pick-up truck. She was whisked off to Kasangati police station, where she is still being held. No charges have yet been preferred against her.