National
Man beaten over posters asks for Museveni’s help
Mr Yoweri Bukanu at the Monitor offices last week. He says he has been blocked from accessing the President despite several attempts.
Posted Monday, January 7 2013 at 02:00
In Summary
Allegation. The man alleges that FDC supporters beat him while putting up President Museveni’s posters but the party denies the claims.
A man, who was allegedly beaten while putting up campaign posters of President Museveni wants the latter to foot his medical bills.
Mr Yoweri Bukanu, 27, a resident of Kisozi Village in Buzaya Sub-county, Kamuli District told the Daily Monitor last Friday that he would not be using calliper splints if he had not been doing the assignment.
“I am appealing to the President for assistance because I was injured while putting up his campaign posters in 2010 in Masindi District,” Mr Bukanu said.
Medical forms indicate that Mr Bukanu sustained severe spinal injuries, which damaged his spinal cord and weakened his legs’ muscles.
Surgery to the spine would improve his muscular power and relieve pain in his limbs.
The Ultima Trauma and Orthopaedic Centre in Kampala, where Mr Bukanu has been going for treatment since 2011, referred him to the Aga Khan University Hospital.
The Presidential Press Secretary, Mr Tamale Mirundi, however, said it was not a must that the President should help Mr Bukanu.
“There is no law that compels the President to help him. If the President were to help, it would be out of courtesy. Bukanu should have petitioned the Movement Secretariat since this is a case of election violence,” Mr Mirundi said.
“Why didn’t he go to police to have the suspects apprehended?” he asked.
But Mr Bukanu said the Movement Secretariat referred him to the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga.
Ms Kadaga, however, wrote a November 13, 2012 letter to the President requesting for the victim’s assistance.
“I request your excellency for more assistance to save this young man’s life by facilitating him to go for treatment at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi,” the letter reads in part.
Ms Kadaga said it was time that the office of the NRM Second National Vice Chairperson be given a budget to cater for victimised supporters.
Mr Bukanu claims the people who beat him were supporters of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
However, the FDC deputy spokesperson, Mr Toterebuka Bamwenda, yesterday said he had never heard of party supporters beating someone putting up President Museveni’s posters.
nwesonga@ug.nationmedia.com
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