Nambooze’s arrest is diversionary, says LOP Winnie Kiiza

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament Ms Winnie Kiiza has condemned the arrest of Mukono Municipality MP, Ms Betty Nambooze, saying it was a plan to divert investigations in the murder of Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga and his brother Saidi Buga Kongo.

“Now every investigation will work towards making what Museveni said is real. Of all people, it wouldn’t have been Nambooze to be arrested for the killing of Abiriga. I’m yet to find out why they want to connect Nambooze to the matter but it’s unfortunate that they’re connecting people who don’t have even a single training in the military and  who may not even have the capacity of arranging killers,” Ms Kiiza said on Wednesday at Jinja Road Police Station where Ms Nambooze is being held.

She said: “This matter should even be internal. Those with power and guns must be knowing how Abiriga died. They just want to divert investigators.”

Ms Nambooze was picked on Wednesday from her home in Mukono.

Police on Tuesday said that before Abiriga’s murder last week,  Ms Nambooze and three other people posted messages on various social media platforms supporting the attack on Abiriga.

A detective had said Ms Nambooze, Raymond Soulfa, alias Peng Peng, Nasser Mugerwa and Jane Kuli would be arrested for alleged offensive communication.

Mr Vincent Ssekate, the spokesperson of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, confirmed the plan to arrest the MP and her co-accused.

Mr Ssekate said a general enquiry file had been opened at the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters against them.

Allegations

“We have opened files against four people. Detectives are also still analysing messages on social media of a dozen others. If we get evidence that their communications were criminal, they will also be arrested,” Mr Ssekate said on Tuesday.

Abiriga and Kongo were shot dead by gunmen at a trading centre near Kawanda on Bombo Road last Friday. The killers were reportedly riding motorcycles.

It is alleged that after the removal of the presidential age limit clause from the Constitution last year, Ms Nambooze said MPs who championed the amendment but had been given security by the State would be “touched” (punished) by aggrieved members of the public.

Peng Peng is alleged to have released a video supporting the attack on MPs who supported the removal of presidential age limit.

Mr Mugerwa is alleged to have released an audio urging Abiriga killers to look for more NRM MPs while Kuli allegedly posted a message on Facebook, saying the deceased would be killed in the first week of June.

Police say the statements amount to offensive communication.