Kayihura vows to arrest Mbabazi security team

Ntungamo- The Inspector General of Police has vowed to arrest the security detail of presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi, saying they are an illegal militia that was responsible for the beating and injuring of people in Ntungamo District.
Mr Mbabazi’ security detail and his supporters engaged in a fight with supporters of presidential candidate Museveni in Ntungamo on Sunday evening.
Addressing residents at the Ntungamo resident district commissioner’s office yesterday, Gen Kayihura said although it was wrong for the NRM supporters to block the route that was being used by the Go Forward candidate, the fighting that ensued could have been avoided had Mr Mbabazi chosen to only move with the security provided by the Electoral Commission.

He stressed that while it was regrettable that Museveni’s supporters blocked the way, the incident could not have degenerated to the level it did if Mr Mbabazi was not moving with a ‘militia’.

He said every presidential candidate has a police security team, adding that Mr Mbabazi has more than 20 and some are at his home.

“If there were people trying to block the road, that is against the law, but if it happened why beat them, and that beating was from people on Mbabazi convoy not from anywhere else,” Gen Kayihura said.

Candidates warned
“Today, I am announcing it as IGP that militia moving with Mbabazi will be arrested, it must be dismantled. It was not for those people there would have been no incident I think,” he said.

Gen Kayihura added: “I want to use this opportunity to tell candidates to stop using militia groups, we shall arrest them and I am warning principal candidates in this. But those disturbing people’s rallies must stop.”

He promised to investigate the matter further to bring the guilty to book, saying although it was a small and isolated one in the campaign, it showed a very bad picture in the generally peaceful environment.
Some of the residents who turned up for the meeting said the people beating them had been given names of those to beat beforehand.

The Ntungamo District police commander, Mr Baker Kawonawo, said at least 15 people have been arrested, not necessarily over the Sunday evening incident, but also for other incidents involving clashes.

After addressing resident, Gen Kayihura held a meeting with district security officials and some politicians.

Speaking to Daily Monitor, the Go Forward head of communication, Mayanja Nkanji dismissed Gen Kayihura’s claims, saying he should get his facts right.

“It is immaterial to focus on how many police officers we have in our camp. We could even have 100. The question is who threw the first stone? Whose people were putting on yellow and attempted to block the road,” she said.

“Before the violence escalated, they had caused chaos before. They beat up our boda guy who was putting up poster around town. Why doesn’t he ask his police officers why they just looked on when the chaos was building up?” she asked.

Meanwhile, the 17 people who were seriously injured in the Sunday evening scuffle were yesterday morning evacuated in a police chopper to access medical services at Mbarara referral hospital.

The police helicopter had transported Gen Kayihura to Ntungamo where he had gone to investigate the events that led to the late Sunday evening clashes.

Gen Kayihura, who arrived at around 11:30am, first met residents at the Ntungamo Mirama hills road junction and visited those injured in the clash at a private clinic in Ntungamo Town.
Gen Kayihura later ordered his guards to arrange for those injured to be evacuated using the police helicopter that landed at Kyamate grounds, to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.

“This is what should have been done in first place. You can’t leave the people to die like this in this room,” Gen Kayihura said.

The victims were were escorted by Gen Kayihura himself to Mbarara referral hospital.

REACTIONS

Henry Gumanaitwe, casual labourer: “We were asked to put on NRM shirts and wave to Mr Mbabazi. Those who gave us the T-shirts said they belonged to the President and no one will touch us. We were also given posters to put up, but I was kicked in the stomach and I think my kidneys may be affected. I think we made a mistake.”

Robert Kwarija, boda boda cyclist: “I got a T-shirt from a friend. He told me the President was coming and we have been asked to put them on, that whoever was putting it on would be given four litres of fuel. I was parked near my stage and people came and beat me.”
Jackson Kinyobwa: “We were holding posters to protest Mbabazi’s visit. Ntungamo is an NRM town, and I think there is nothing against the law. Those who beat us must be investigated. They were all not from Ntungamo.”

Dan Nabimanya, Ntungamo speaker: “I was simply going home and passed a rally for Mbabazi, they started beating me. I think that is intolerance. It needs to be investigated to its roots.”

Ibrahim Gumusiriza- IT specialist: “It is disrespect on the part of NRM supporters, even when you are supporting a different candidate, I think the others deserve some respect.”
Constance Butamanya, trader: “We support President Museveni but I think these youth who had posters were misguided. I cannot think they were real supporters of NRM. It must be politics of the young MPs here.”

Edward Natamba, poll observer: “If police did not see them as mere supporters of another candidate and saw its implication, these people would have been chased from the roadside and I think this would have been avoided. Mbabazi has complained about Ntungamo in a press conference four days before his coming. There should have been measures to control the situation.”

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