Mbogo incident: Senior officers transferred

KAMPALA - Two senior officers accused of leading security personnel who used teargas to disperse members of Buganda Kingdom's Mbogo Clan have been transferred.

The clan members had convened at their ancestral site at Mugulu - Ziggoti Town Council to attend thanksgiving prayers for their leader, Elder Gajuule Kayiira Kasibante.

Bob Kagarura, the commander for Wamala regional police was on Thursday evening transferred to Bukedi North while the Mityana Divisional Police Commander Alex Mwine, was transferred to Hoima.

The two were transferred following a directive from President Yoweri Museveni who ordered the Inspector General of Police to take action. 

It also follows a request from Buganda Premier Charles Peter Mayiga on Wednesday that the officers involved be prosecuted.

It remains unclear whether the officer would also be charged in the police disciplinary courts

The Saturday incident caused an uproar within the masses, Buganda Kingdom and the Catholic Church. Several politicians also took advantage of the issue to organize demonstrations.

On Tuesday, the IGP Martin Okoth Ochola sent a high-powered delegation to Masaka to apologize to Rtd Bishop Emeritus John Baptist Kagwa who was leading mass when the incident happened.

Kagwa was leading mass at the event to celebrate the appointment of Omutaka Namwama Augustine Nsereko as the head of Buganda's 52 clans by the Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II to replace Kayiira when police fired teargas intending to disperse a crowd that had assembled at the gate.

The team also met Mayiga on Wednesday and apologized.

Police claim it never intended to tear gas the congregants. Police said it was the wind that blew the teargas towards the congregants.