Police maintain heavy deployment on the road leading to Dr. Besigye’s home in Kasangati, Wakiso district.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has lashed out at security forces over the manner in which they arrested former Presidential candidate, Kizza Besigye, questioning why such force was used on the former bush war hero yet he wasn’t armed at time of arrest.
The Speaker’s remarks were in response to concerns raised by Atkins Katusabe (Bukonzo West) during the plenary sitting in which he questioned if Parliament was proceeding well with its business when some provisions in the constitution are being violated through the brutal arrest of Besigye and his continued detention.
Katusabe cited an incidence on May 12, May 2022 where he said that Besigye was violently arrested and roughed up like a chicken thief and wondered if Uganda still operates under rule of law.
“Besigye is a national leader, he is a parent and brother to somebody, I don’t think anybody enjoys these ugly scenes that have gone to taint this country. Are we proceeding well if we continue ignoring the ugly scenes. I demand that if it pleases you that Parliament calls to order specifically the commanders that roughed up and degraded Besigye that they are identified and investigation carried out through a due process,” said Katusabe.
In response, Among said that she too watched how her former party President of FDC, Besigye was arrested describing the method as brutal and wrong and called on the Attorney General to rein over security forces in ensuring the laws aren’t violated while conducting their duties.
She said, “I don’t think that was correct. Attorney General, I want you to talk to our people especially if you are handling someone who isn’t armed. It is what makes us have issues of human rights, advise them on how they should handle everybody. So I want you to follow up this issue with security forces and advise them on how they should handle everybody. Even being in opposition, I mean we are the same because today they are handling Besigye like that, tomorrow it might be you. Let us be fair to everybody.”
It should be recalled that last week, Besigye announced resumption of his peaceful protest, walk to work in protest of the continued rise in commodity prices, accusing government of refusing to address the matter despite complaints from the public.
However, Police swung into action and roughed up Besigye and the Forces have taken siege of Besigye’s home and aren’t allowing him to move out or allow visitors to see him despite no single charge preferred against him by the State.
