Museveni ''not behind Lukwago, Besigye arrests''

By Cyprian Musoke and Joyce Namutebi

KAMPALA - Government has denied allegations that President Yoweri Museveni is behind the arrest this week of Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago and former FDC president Kizza Besigye over unlawful assemblies.

Responding to a statement by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament on Thursday, State minister for internal affairs James Baba also refuted allegations by Nandala Mafabi that Museveni had instructed the Director of Public Prosecution to charge the duo with treason.

"I am not aware that the President can issue such an order in this era of democracy,” said the minister.

“As for other leaders being put under preventive arrest in their homes, I am to find out from the Police why they are doing so with a view to securing their freedom.”

Lukwago and Besigye, he added, could have been detained beyond the mandatory 48 hours because of refusal to record statements with the Police, or refusal to be released on bond.

"I am yet to know what exactly happened but both have been charged this afternoon at Buganda road court," Baba submitted.

The opposition politicians were Thursday charged before Buganda Road Court magistrate Julius Gorore for holding unlawful society under section 58 of the Penal Code, but secured sh40 million non-cash bail.

‘A mistake’

In his written statement, legislator Mafabi alleged that the two [Lukwago and Besigye] were illegally detained over "purely political reasons in a war to wrest the control of Kampala city from the Mayor".

"President Museveni is bent on abusing institutions such as police and DPP to hound down the Lord Mayor and his supporters,” Mafabi alleged.

He added: “Regrettably, the Police has continued to willfully abide by the wishes of their commander and President Yoweri Museveni.”

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Besigye being escorted upon arrival at Buganda Road Court on Thursday. PHOTO/Eddie Ssejjoba

The Police, he told the House, is making mistakes in the process by moving the two from one detention facility to another at night due to fear of public apprehension.

"While police purports to protect the public and their property, they do not want the same public to know where the two leaders are being held for fear of public reaction," said the opposition MP.

He alleged that the President had ordered the DPP to charge the two of treason "which the DPP has refused.

"While we remain peaceful in our actions, the President should be reminded that there is no monopoly of violence and firepower. This is not something we want to do but it is something the President is increasingly pushing us towards," Nandala said.

Some legislators alleged that by the Police preventing their colleagues like Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko from leaving their houses, it was contributing to the lack of quorum in Parliament.

On his part, State minister Baba promised to probe the matter further and ask the Police not to camp at homes of other opposition MPs as this will stifle Parliamentary work.

Tuesday this week, Police deployed heavily around Nakivubo Settlement Primary School in Kampala, the venue for a planned opposition rally.

The security forces sealed off the area, insisting the rally would not take place.

The recent clashes between opposition politicians and the police are reminiscent of early last year’s engagement of security forces with the banned opposition pressure group Action for Change (A4C).

Besigye, then at the helm of FDC, was arrested together with Lukwago and the group’s coordinator Mathias Mpuuga.