Coordinate with police, Besigye urges supporters

By JEFF ANDREW LULE AND SIMON MASABA  

THE Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leader Col. Kizza Besigye has called on his supporters not to engage in throwing stones at Police while at various rallies.

After addressing an Activist for Change (A4C) rally at Gayaza play ground on Saturday, Besigye condemned the act of throwing stones by various people saying it disrupts their activities, leads to violence and injuring innocent people.

"Please I urge you to be calm and coordinate with police. We should not engage in throwing stones at them or any kind of violence like Police claims," he noted.

Besigye said he was suspicious that stones are always thrown by some intruders who want to disrupt their functions and tarnish their names.

He called on his supporters to be very cautious and watchful on people who throw so that they are arrested and handed over to police. He also stressed that supporters need to be alert on strangers and inform the Police.

Besigye was also suspicious that their cars were smashed by the same group to put the blame on our supporters.

Several vehicles including Besigye's and those of Salim Agoliga (FDC secretary for defense) and Ibrahim Semujju (MP Kyadondo East) were hit as police tried to disperse the violent mob that had started pelting stones at police after the A4C rally at Omega Healing center premises in Namasuba last Friday.  

On Saturday, gunshots rocked in Rutete along Gayaza road for about one hour after a rally in Gayaza, when Police blocked Besigye and his procession from proceeding to Kampala.

The Police blocked the road using the teargas truck which provoked supporters to start pelting stones.
Later Besigye accepted and proceeded to his home in Kasangati.

However, during the scuffle, 14 students from Wampeewo Ntake Secondary School with breathing complications were hospitalized after police fired tear gas.

 "They were rushed to Mulago hospital for medication and were later discharged at around midnight," a source said.