MPs condemn Besigye home detention

Members of Parliament have condemned government for the continued detention of former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye at his Kansangati home.

The matter was raised Wednesday as a matter of by Kitgum woman MP Beatrice Anywar who said Besigye’s rights are being violated.

“Even prisoners in various prisons are allowed to be visited but Besigye is not even allowed to meet his visitors. He is not allowed to move out of his home. This house is the voice of the voiceless. As parliament we need to demand that police withdraws from his home,” Anywar proposed.

She also expressed concern that the FDC headquarters have continued to be under siege by police and the military.

  Kitgum Woman MP Beatrice Anywar talks after presentation in the house about the plight of Forum for Democratic Change flag bearer Kizza Besigye, who is under preventive arrest, March.10, 2016. Photo by Kennedy Oryema

“These acts by police and the military have created tension and are negatively affecting our tourism sector which is a major source of our national revenue. Government should explain the circumstances under which they are detaining him,” she stated.

Anywar’s presentation was interrupted on point of order by Ssembabule woman MP Hanifah Kawooya who said, “Honourable Anywar has gone around meandering misleading the house that we should demand police to leave when she knows it is the mandate of police to keep law and order. Police is doing its work and we should not interfere with it.”

Later after the state minister for internal affairs James Baba had entered the house, Kasilo MP Elijah Ekupa resurrected the matter and demanded that the minister responds to the concerns Anywar had raised.

In his response, Baba said, “The IGP (Kale Kaihura) issued a public statement detailing why Dr. Besigye is under house arrest. As long as he continues with his campaign of defiance and disobedience of the kaw, police has to ensure peace and security.”

Local and International journalists wait after they were blocked from accessing the residence of Opposition's Dr Kizza Besigye of FDC on Saturday 20 February 2016 as Ugandans awaited the final annoucement of Presidential results. This was in Kasangati.Photo by Roderick Ahimbazwe /Roderick Ahimbazwe

At this point the opposition chief whip Cecelia Ogwal furiously rose up and said, “Let the minister tell us which law has Dr. Kizza Besigye broken? If you sit at your home which law will you have broken? Which law has he so far broken?”

Answering Ogwal, Baba said, “According to the Police Act, police has authority to detect and prevent crime before it is committed.”

Angered by the minister’s response, Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimire said, “We not sit in this house and see any Uganda losing his rights and jubilate that all is well. I will not accept anyone saying Besigye is planning to break the law. This is not comedy house. What charges have you put on Besigye? What you are doing is illegal.”

Concluding the matter, Kadaga directed the minister to prepare a detailed statement for parliament explaining why government has continued to keep Besigye under house arrest.