Besigye to celebrate Easter in jail over protests
ISAAC KASAMANI | NATION
Civilians walk past a Military Police officer with their hands in the air at Kalerwe after the opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye was arrested in the area Thursday
Uganda’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye was on Thursday remanded to Nakasongola Prison, about 60 miles north of Kampala, over the walk-to-work protests at the rising cost of living.
This marked an unprecedented four successive arrests and three court appearances in two weeks for the politician.
Dr Besigye will also celebrate his 55 birthday today in remand after the court denied him bail for leading the protests that started on April 11.
He joins Democratic Party leader Norbert Mao who was transferred to Nakasongola from Luzira Maximum Prison on Wednesday night.
Mr Mao has been in detention for four days.
Dr Besigye and three others, Mr Harold Kaija, Mr Francis Mwijukye and Mr Jethro Nuwagaba, were charged with holding an unlawful assembly after they were arrested near Mulago Referral Hospital in Kampala. They were walking to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) offices in Najjanakumbi.
Dr Besigye joined the protest at Kalerwe after women from his Kasangati neighbourd pleaded with him not to start the protest at his home lest the police lob teargas at children going to school.
Chief Magistrate Justine Atukwasa rejected pleas for bail by defence lawyers, saying there were other pressing matters to attend to. “I will set another date for the bail hearing, not today,” Ms Atukwasa said. She set the bail hearing for April 27.
However, the suspects were allowed to address the court.
“The circumstances under which I am going to be remanded are disturbing. The police are persecuting me and infringing on my rights. It is trying to use this honorable court to further abuse my rights. I have been arrested three times before for going about my own business. I have done nothing wrong,” said Dr Besigye.
Later Dr Besigye told journalists Uganda was at a critical moment in its history. “This impunity will be over very soon,” he said.
Members of the public were kept away from the Nabweru court by security officers manning all entries. However, FDC leaders Salaam Musumba, Jack Sabiiti, Geoffrey Ekanya, Alice Alaso, Maj. John Kazoora, Elijah Okupa and Christopher Kibanzanga were allowed in.
The suspects were driven to remand at 1pm amid chants of “happy birthday” from Dr Besigye’s supporters. They arrived at Nakasongola Prison at 2pm under police escort and not prisons officers as is the norm.
