Mbabazi, Besigye released

By Edward Anyoli & Charles Etukuri

KAMPALA - Former Uganda Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and former FDC opposition party president Kizza Besigye were Thursday released from police custody.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga confirmed that the two politicians recorded statements and had since been released unconditionally.

“These were merely preventive arrests because they had not complied with section 5 of the Public Order Management Act which stipulates that they are supposed to inform police three days in advance,” said Enanga.

Besigye’s request to hold consultative meetings, he added, was only filed on Thursday morning and there wasn’t enough time for it to be processed.

Enanga also said that Mbabazi’s preventive arrest was simply meant to keep law and order. “There was no damage because he was stopped before reaching the venue."

'Disobeyed lawful order'

The former premier was blocked on his way to Mbale where he intended to canvass support for his 2016 presidential bid.

He recorded a statement at Kiira Road Police Station where he was being detained. Police's Enanga said they arrested Mbabazi after he disobeyed lawful orders from a police officer.   

“We had to stop him in Njeru this [Thursday] morning and record a statement from him after he disobeyed a lawful order from a uniformed officer. 

"A police officer, in full uniform, stopped him from proceeding to Mbale for his meetings which were declared illegal by his party and the Electoral Commission which has the mandate to clear all aspiring candidates including those going for consultations but when the officer asked him to go back to Kampala he insisted and that was why we arrested him,” said Enanga.

Mbabazi’s lawyer Friday Kagoro confirmed that his client had recorded a statement of disobeying lawful orders after encountering police led by Director of Police Operations, Felix Kaweesi at Njeru.

Earlier on, Mbabazi's daughter Nina Rukikaire said the Kiira Road Police Station had granted his father a bond. 

“Amama Mbabazi has been given bond and released. The crime, we don't know, as Enanga says that it was preventative arrest,” Nina said. 

Mbabazi was arrested on Thursday morning as he set off to Mbale to consult the National Resistance Movement delegates as he seeks to campaign to become the party’s flag bearer.

His bid however has received opposition from his NRM party, Electoral Commission and the Police which all declared his meetings illegal.