Museveni threatens to arrest Mbabazi group

Mr Yoweri Museveni. File Photo

What you need to know:

Criminal. Mr Museveni says those who attacked NRM supporters are being rounded up because they attacked Ugandans and they will pay dearly

MBALE.

President Museveni has threatened to arrest Go Forward candidate Amama Mbabazi’s supporters over the violent clashes that erupted between them and NRM members at a rally in the western district of Ntungamo early this month.

The clashes
The clashes broke out in Ntungamo on December 13 after Mr Mbabazi’s rally was interrupted by suspected NRM supporters armed with clubs and stones--with Mr Mbabazi’s convoy coming under attack from stone throwers, prompting his security team to respond in similar fashion. The clashes left more than 17 people injured, according to the police.

Following the clashes, police chief Kale Kayihura flew to Ntungamo where he airlifted the injured to Mbarara Hospital. He pitched camp in Ntungamo and vowed to arrest Mr Mbabazi’s security team, claiming it was an illegal militia that was behind the violence. Mr Christopher Aine, the head of Mr Mbabazi’s security team has since been arrested following a dawn raid on his home in Kyanja, a suburb in Wakiso District, by plain clothed security operatives. Police remains cagey over his whereabouts but the Go Forward team insists he was picked up by operatives from the Police Flying Squad unit.

Yesterday, Mr Museveni sought to allay fears that the election may take a turn for the worse, telling a press briefing in Mbale that Mr Mbabazi’s supporters that were caught up in the clashes are “thugs” and “idiots”-and that the Police is already “rounding them up”.

“Thugs attacked NRM supporters. They are being rounded up because they attacked Ugandans and they will pay very dearly. I am a free person and you come and attack me like that idiot whom I saw [on TV] beating people with clubs. He will regret. We shall smash all that little nonsense which some people who don’t see far thought would help them,”Mr Museveni said.

Without directly mentioning any names, Mr Museveni vowed that the mastermind of the clashes from the Go Forward side potentially faces criminal charges. He stopped short of mentioning Mr Mbabazi, the candidate for the Go Forward team, who has rallied his supporters to fight back whenever they come under attack.

“Those children are going to regret. And whoever sent them will also regret, if we have the evidence, we shall go for him or her. Beating is a criminal offence but also sending is a criminal offence. If you say: you go and beat Ugandans. Who are you? They are busy telling lies but we have not attacked them. Why have we not gone for them?”Mr Museveni said.

The clashes in Ntungamo come hot on the heels of statements by Mr Mbabazi in his home district of Kanungu-where he told his supporters to fight back-after they complained to him at a rally that they were being attacked by stick-wielding people.
“Whoever comes to beat you is like you. They have the same hands like yours. They do not have more hands than you. Don’t get intimidated,”Mr Mbabazi told a rally in Kinkiizi East.

Similar threats
Mr Museveni’s threat to arrest Mr Mbabazi comes after he made similar threats to arrest FDC flag bearer Kizza Besigye over how the FDC flag bearer proposed to resolve the dispute between residents and the government over settlement on Mt Elgon National Park, eastern Uganda.

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