Protesting Besigye detention
Police in Kampala have foiled a vibrant protest by women activists attached to the People’s Front for Transition (PFT) pressure group over the arrest and consequent detention of their leader Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Opposition strongman and political activist Besigye is currently jailed at Kitalya government prison, awaiting a High court ruling squashing a 30 million cash bail imposed on him by the Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court for inciting violence.
The women took to the streets on Monday morning with megaphones chanting “release Kiiza Besigye” while singing continuously, until police showed up.
The group including Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura, Soroti Woman MP Adeke Anna, and other activists under the pressure group also carried placards with posted messages calling on the government to intervene in the high prices of essential commodities.
The Minuit group of five clad in white Aprons tagged “Tunkwatako”paraded at Mulago roundabout at about 10:00 am where they started singing loudly about high commodity prices going down while flashing placards reading ‘High prices are choking us’, ‘Release Kizza Besigye’ among others.
After close to 20 minutes into their protest, several police officers flooded the scene on a pick up truck and ordered the striking quintet to stop their ‘noise making’ but in vain. The police officers were compelled to arrest the group by bundling them onto the truck.
Protesting Besigye detention
According to our reporter Minah Nalule, by press time, all five had been taken to Wandegeya Police Station but continued singing the song “Deep in my heart, We believe the prices will go down,”. Police are yet to mention charges levied against them.
Besigye was on Tuesday arrested after he dodged security operatives stationed at his home in Kasangati, Wakiso District and made his way to downtown Kampala before he was intercepted at Arua Park. He was protesting the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.
On Thursday, Besigye declined the 30 Million Shillings cash bail ruling granted to him by the Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate. He had appeared before Grade One Magistrate Sienna Owomugisha amidst tight security on charges of inciting violence. Besigye denied the charges and asked to be released on bail.
However, Besigye declined to accept the cash terms of his bail describing them as outrageous, he instead opted to go to Prison on remand until his lawyers can appeal the bail ruling.
