Besigye arrested on first day of ‘freedom’

Kasangati/Kampala.

Barely an hour after Dr Kizza Besigye emerged from an almost two-month long enforced confinement at his home to frenzied crowds en-route to the city centre, the Opposition leader was stopped by security forces, hauled out of public view and again thrown into a police cell.

It was supposed to be his first day of freedom yesterday but things soon deteriorated into the usual routine—of “don’t use this route”, “use the other route”, “get out of the car and see...”
The former FDC presidential aspirant, who for the last 47 days has been under house arrest, was scheduled to attend the party’s weekly Tuesday prayers at their headquarters in Najjanankumbi. He did not go past the Mulago hospital roundabout where police mounted another of its huge operations, stopped his car from being driven through Wandegeya or Yusuf Lule Road.

Crowds swell up
The crowds that had been swelling as he slowly made his way from Kasangati also tasted the wrath of police. There were also men moving in unmarked vans, dressed in civilian clothes but seeming to be working alongside police who beat up people with batons and pepper-sprayed them.

By early morning yesterday, police had posted huge numbers of armed men and several armoured trucks at various points on Gayaza Road. Since the controversial February 18 polls this road has been under close watch by soldiers and other security teams who mounted roadblocks all the way to Dr Besigye’s home in Kasangati, Wakiso District.

The four-time presidential candidate set off from home at 9.17am, donning his signature checked blue hooded shirt. He was being chauffeured in deep-tan coloured Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Standing through his car sunroof, he waved the V-sign to the surging crowds. Excited, some in the crowd returned to the habit of handing the retired Colonel money – just as they did during the election campaigns.

There were wild cheers, roadside music shops, as if they had prepared in advance, started blasting his very popular campaign song— Toka kwa bara bara, Besigye ame ingia. Leading the way, boda boda riders hooted away, adding to what was turning out to be the carnival-like atmosphere.

All the while, police did not interfere, and the two tailing patrol cars kept a reasonable distance behind. The feeling of excitement and sense of euphoria hit a new peak around the Kalerwe roundabout where police were thickly deployed. Here, he was stopped for about five minutes but each time police officers came close to his car the crowd heckled.

He was eventually allowed to head through Kalerwe, but was blocked again at the Kubiri roundabout and diverted to Mulago. It was at Mulago where temperatures rose; police this time did not give him an alternative route—no going to Wandegeya, neither Yusuf Lule nor turning back.

Police started beating up anybody close by and rough-handling journalists. They warned Dr Besigye not to leave his car. The Kampala Central Police Station DPC, Mr Aaron Baguma, an officer who is wanted in court on murder charges, arrived on the scene.
A stand-off ensued as Baguma could be seen calling in reinforcements. The Mulago area quickly begun to look like a yard for police armoured cars.

It was at this very Mulago roundabout that in 2011, during the Walk to Work protests which followed similarly disputed elections, that Dr Besigye’s car windows were smashed, the FDC leader doused in pepper-spray and brutally arrested by police led by superintendent Gilbert Bwana Arinaitwe. With Dr Besigye almost blinded and having to be flown to Nairobi, Kenya for emergency treatment, the brutality of the Ariniatwe-led police action sparked off violent countrywide protests.

This time, DPC Baguma ordered the towing of his car and sped away at breakneck speed via Acacia Avenue. To throw off boda boda riders who were still following, police first towed the Prado to Kololo Independence Grounds which is currently cordoned off and serves as mini-barracks for all sorts of security personnel, and later took him to Kira Road Police.

Yesterday, suspected police “crime preventers” joined in beating up people who were cheering Besigye. There was a also a police team that busied itself with cheerleaders and documenting the proceedings. There were no signs of violence except around Mulago when some enraged people in the crowds attempted to throw stones but were scattered.

At Kira Road Police, Besigye was dragged out of his car, bundled into the dreaded black police van which then sped off through Kisaasi-Kyanja to Nagalama Police station in Mukono district, where he was still in detention by press time. Over the election season, Dr Beisgye has been detained at this very place on the countless occasions he has been barred from leaving home before being grabbed and taken.

Dr Besigye is said by the Electoral Commission to have come in the second position with 35 percent of the tallied votes in controversial February polls. The FDC leader and his supporters dispute this result and insist that their leader is the true winner of elections.

Both the FDC and Dr Besigye have vowed not to surrender his victory to the incumbent who the EC declared to have won the election by 60.7 per cent. The Supreme Court last week dismissed a petition filed by former prime minister Amama Mbabazi that challenged the election results.

Police unclear on Besigye arrest
At 1pm yesterday, police called an abrupt press conference but it was not short of drama. The commander of Kampala Metropolitan Police Abbas Byakagaba, who called journalists, said it was to be addressed by the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura at CPS.

However, on reaching CPS, there was no senior police officer. Mr Byakagaba then told Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango to send the journalists away.
Mr Onyango told journalists briefly that Dr Besigye had violated procedures of public gathering.

Earlier, the police deputy spokesperson, Ms Polly Namaye, claimed in a statement that they had learned that Dr Besigye intended to drive “in a procession from Najjanankumbi through Clock Tower to Container Village, which is one of the most highly populated areas in Kampala City.” Ms Namaye’s statement was said to be a caution for Dr Besigye to desist from carrying out any procession because he had not notified the police in time as required by the Public Order Management Act sec 4 (1) 5(1).

“The public is strongly advised to shun anyone who tries to involve themselves in any unlawful activity that is likely to disrupt safety and peace within the city, which could result into damage to lives and people’s properties,” Ms Namaye said.