Army Arrests Maj. Bwende

By HAmis Kaheru, Grace Matsiko and F. Kiwanuka MAJOR Jero Bwende, a parliamentary candidate for Nakeseke, Luwero, was on Tuesday arrested over campaign-related violence and is being held at the Military Police barracks in Makindye. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Phinehas Katirima said yesterday, "Yes, we have him. There were some electoral offences in Nakaseke and the Police had been compiling a file. He was called to give us information and he delayed coming." Katirima said consultations were going on to see if Bwende could be allowed to continue with the campaigns and he answers for the offences later. Bwende told The New Vision on telephone yesterday that he was told to report to Makindye on Tuesday, and was arrested by the acting commandant, Lt. Col. Dick Bugingo, on reaching there at 7:00pm. He is being held at the officers' mess. "I am being held incommunicado. The house I am in has no ventilators and no toilets. If they can treat me like this when I am a historical member of the army, how do they treat others with lower ranks," he asked. He said several senior army officers like Col. Kawaga, Col. Elly Kayanja, Col. Samuel Wasswa, Lt. Col. Narweyiso, Lt. Col. Elly Mukasa, Lt. Col. Hudson Mukasa and Maj. Rukanga were moving around the constituency saying he had been sacked from the army. Bwende's lawyers, Paul Tusubira and Company Advocates, said in a statement yesterday that the detention was intended to keep him away from campaigning in the last crucial days in favour of his rival, energy minister Syda Bbumba. The lawyers asked the Luweero returning officer to intervene and allow Bwende to complete the campaigns when he is a free man. Supporters of Bwende and Bbumba last week clashed in Katooke trading centre after which each side accused the other of provoking them. The army commander, Maj. Gen. Jeje Odongo, summoned Bwende to Kampala on Tuesday. His wife who delivered the message found him campaigning in Kiwoko and the couple drove to Kampala that afternoon. He was arrested that evening at Makindye. He said, "If they did not want me to stand they should have told me since the President (Museveni) has been going around convincing some Movement candidates to step down for others," he said. Ends