‘Army protected Besigye’
Feb 20, 2006
THE UPDF provided safe passage and escort for FDC leader Col. Kizza Besigye to his rally at Makerere University after the shooting in Bulange, army spokesman Maj. Felix Kulayigye has said.
By Milton Olupot
THE UPDF provided safe passage and escort for FDC leader Col. Kizza Besigye to his rally at Makerere University after the shooting in Bulange, army spokesman Maj. Felix Kulayigye has said.
The army rushed to the scene after retired lieutenant, SPC Ramathan Magara, attached to the deputy RDC’s office at Rubaga, shot two FDC supporters dead and injured several others.
The two were among a group waiting outside Bulange where Besigye was meeting the Katikkiro, Dan Muliika.
Responding to the February 17 Monitor story “Bullets or ballots?†which followed the incident, Kulayigye said, “from the story, one could easily think the “attack†at Bulange was commanded by the president, or the CDF (army chief), Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, to deliberately shoot and kill or maim supporters of FDC.
“This is insinuated by the good editors that Wednesday’s incident was not just a criminal matter, but a systematic ploy by government to intimidate opposition supporters.â€
He said these were exaggerated emotions and an attempt to reap as much political capital as possible out of the otherwise unfortunate incident.
Kulayigye said the UPDF and the police were on hand to restore order and evacuate the wounded people, even though the FDC did not give that information to the media briefing the following day.
He said Magara’s behaviour was inexcusable and the law would take its course swiftly.
Kulayigye said in the same paper, Peter Mwesige in his “no holds barred†column said the military was deliberately demonstrating “who is in charge†here.
“By and large, UPDF officers and men have shown a desirable adherence to the code of conduct during this electoral process, and even in insurgence hit areas like the north, candidates have been able to campaign and mingle freely with the electorate. Mind you these are some of the areas where UPDF has got the biggest concentration of its officers and men,†he said.
THE UPDF provided safe passage and escort for FDC leader Col. Kizza Besigye to his rally at Makerere University after the shooting in Bulange, army spokesman Maj. Felix Kulayigye has said.
The army rushed to the scene after retired lieutenant, SPC Ramathan Magara, attached to the deputy RDC’s office at Rubaga, shot two FDC supporters dead and injured several others.
The two were among a group waiting outside Bulange where Besigye was meeting the Katikkiro, Dan Muliika.
Responding to the February 17 Monitor story “Bullets or ballots?†which followed the incident, Kulayigye said, “from the story, one could easily think the “attack†at Bulange was commanded by the president, or the CDF (army chief), Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, to deliberately shoot and kill or maim supporters of FDC.
“This is insinuated by the good editors that Wednesday’s incident was not just a criminal matter, but a systematic ploy by government to intimidate opposition supporters.â€
He said these were exaggerated emotions and an attempt to reap as much political capital as possible out of the otherwise unfortunate incident.
Kulayigye said the UPDF and the police were on hand to restore order and evacuate the wounded people, even though the FDC did not give that information to the media briefing the following day.
He said Magara’s behaviour was inexcusable and the law would take its course swiftly.
Kulayigye said in the same paper, Peter Mwesige in his “no holds barred†column said the military was deliberately demonstrating “who is in charge†here.
“By and large, UPDF officers and men have shown a desirable adherence to the code of conduct during this electoral process, and even in insurgence hit areas like the north, candidates have been able to campaign and mingle freely with the electorate. Mind you these are some of the areas where UPDF has got the biggest concentration of its officers and men,†he said.