FDC officials fail to appear at Police

KAMPALA - Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) politicians on Thursday did not appear for questioning at the Police's Special Investigation Division in Kireka, a city suburb.

The outgoing leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Wafula Oguttu and former Tororo County MP Geoffrey Ekanya, are being probed over their participation in the purported swearing-in of Dr. Kizza Besigye as president of Uganda.

The Nakawa court on Wednesday read fresh charges of treason against Besigye before he was sent back on remand to Luzira prison.

This followed his (Besigye's) arrest mid-last week in Kampala by the Police and flown to Moroto Police Station where he was detained for two days.

He was flown back to Kampala after being arraigned before Moroto Magistrates' Court where he was charged with treason in connection to a circulated video showing him taking an oath as the president of Uganda.

Thursday afternoon, police spokesperson, Fred Enanga explained why the FDC officials failed to appear before police for questioning and statement recording.

"Oguttu is attending to his sick mother and Ekanya told police that his lawyer was not available. We have consulted on whether to re-summon them or resort to other means," Enanga said.

The two opposition politicians were summoned together with the party chairman, Wasswa Birigwa, but Birigwa did not show up.

In a recent interview, the party spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda, said the former ambassador was out of the country.

The video footage, released on the eve of President Yoweri Museveni swearing-in ceremony at Kololo, showed Besigye taking oath as the "rightful" President-elect of Uganda.

The clip also showed the people who witnessed the swearing-in, including FDC's top leaders, among them Oguttu, Ekanya and Birigwa.

On Tuesday, before the SID operatives led by Mark Odong, Oguttu and Ekanya declined to answer questions.

"I have no lawyer and therefore I cannot respond to the questions. I need more time," Oguttu said.

The SID chief, Mark Odong, rescheduled to Thursday but still in vain.

Enanga said the FDC officials were summoned to record statements on allegations of misprision of treason or failure to report treason.

"The officials were summoned over abetting their leader's treason offence," said the police spokesperson.