FDC wants more visitation time for Besigye

Key opposition leaders visiting detained Forum for Democratic Change Presidential aspirant in the 2016 elections Kizza Besigye have complained about the short time allocated to them.

Speaking to the New Vision shortly after they had been granted chance to visit Besigye, party spokesperson Ibrahim Semujju Nganda urged the prison authorities to accord their leader additional time so  that he may be able to see his visitors.

"It's only proper that he is accorded his entire official time so that he may talk to his lawyers and visitors thronging the facility," Nganda said.

The Uganda Prisons has set Tuesday and Thursday and from 2 pm to 4 pm as the special days and time when Besigye who is detained on terrorism charges can be visited.

By Thursday evening when Saturday Vision visited, the Prisons staff were taking finger prints and photos from all people visiting inmates at Luzira Prison.

There was a long queue of people who wanted to see Besigye and many were locked out.  Saturday Vision counted 68 people who were waiting in the line but many were turned back due to time.

Prisons Spokesperson, Frank Baine defended the decision to allocate these 2 days and the time insisting that the facility was too congested and allowing too many visitors at a time would cripple their operations. He urged Besigye's visitors to abide by the time allocate.

 "If we allow so many people to come in, we will not be able to effectively serve all of them. Let us work within the special time allocated," Baine said.

Baine also said that those who wanted to see Besigye outside the allocated hours should seek permission from the prisons headquarters.

Baine refused to discuss Besigye's condition in prison urging New Vision to find it out from those who had visited. He however said prison had allowed him to cook his own food.

On Friday Semujju and city Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago visited Besigye after seeking permission from prisons headquarters.  Besigye had also been visited by Ingrid Turinawe, MP's Okumu Reagan, Moses Kasibante (Rubaga North),  Suspended Makerere Don Stella Nyanzi and his wife Winnie Byanyima among others.

Byanyima in her tweeter handle, said she had been strengthened by the fact that hundreds of Ugandans were trekking Luzira to see Besigye.

"He is in the cell with two others. They cook their own food and eat together. He wears a yellow prisoner uniform but strong physically and in will," she said.
Byanyima also said that Besigye, "was concerned about lawlessness and persecution by Uganda Police Force and its illegal militias."

She also said that Besigye was concerned about Judiciary which is acting in collusion with police to persecute him and he was dragged to court without lawyers and outside official hour.

Byanyima called on Ugandans to remain firm in face of persecution and humiliation by a guilty and frightened illegitimate regime. "He will prove his innocence if court acts justly but Judiciary UG is colluding with lawless Uganda Police Force to persecute him," she said.

Besigye was transferred from Moroto Prison on Monday and taken to Luzira. On Tuesday he was taken before Nakawa court and charged afresh with treason before being remanded.