Police question acting Kyabazinga

By Donald Kiirya

A scuffle ensued at the Jinja Central Police Station when a group of youth stormed it and nearly beat up the interim Kyabazinga of Busoga, Prince David Gabula Bogere.

The angry youth, accused Gabula of uttering defamatory statements against the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, who is also the Kamuli district Woman Member of Parliament and chairperson of the Busoga Parliamentary Group.

Led by Farouk Mujjomba, a resident of Jinja, the group claimed Bogere while appearing on a talk show on Voice of Busoga (VOB) FM in Jinja town on Sunday night, uttered bad words against the speaker of Busoga kingdom, the eleven hereditary clan chiefs and David Kaunhe Wakholi, the chief prince (Isabalangira).

That night, sources said a group led by Mujjomba with the help of Police stormed VOB FM to arrest Gabula but he reportedly jumped over a fence and disappeared into the nearby bush.

He was however arrested on Monday and taken to Jinja Police Station where Mujjomba's group caught up with him but he was saved from the angry youth after Police intervened.  

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Farouk Mujomba (right) roughing up Caretaker David Gabula Bogere (left) by the at Jinja Police Station. PHOTO: Donald Kiirya

Gabula was grilled by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for about seven hours. He was later taken to the office of the district Police Commander, Jonathan Musinguzi.

Gabula was then led to the officer in charge of criminal investigations (CID) Vincent Okurut, where he met the Regional Police Commander, Ben Mubangizi for further questioning.

When Gabula walked out to make a phone call, Mujjomba and his group pounced on him and pulled him by the collar, threatening to beat him up but Okurut ordered the anti-riot Police to disperse them, using teargas.

The adamant youth still camped at the Police and kept threatening to undress and beat up Gabula upon release by the Police.  

Musinguzi told New Vision that Police had opened investigations into the matter and called for calm.  

Gabula told New Vision at the Police Station that he blasted Kadaga while speaking on radio for sabotaging efforts to restore Busoga's monarchy.

He said during President Yoweri Museveni's visit to Kamuli recently, Kadaga introduced three people as members the kingdom's constitutional review commission, aimed at solving the leadership squabbles that have dogged the kingdom for four years.

"During the youth day celebrations in Kamuli, Kadaga told the President that the Kingdom Constitution Review Commission would be chaired by Hajji Shaban Muziransa, with George Mutyabule and Samuel Kiirya as committee members," Gabula said.

"She further told the Head of State that the three men were appointed by the late Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki before he died on September 1, 2008," Gabula narrated.

Gabula added that both claims made by Kadaga were false and misleading to the President and that the commission was a sham and Kadaga's own creation since it has no mandate from the Basoga, the Busoga Lukiiko, the caretaker kyabazinga or the chiefs' royal council.  

Gabula was released on Police bond and driven out of the Police premises in a Toyota Premio car at about 8:30pm.