Police detain Besigye and Kampala Mayor Lukwago

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 27 JANUARY 2013

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Police-detains-Besigye-and-Kampala-Mayor-Lukwago/-/688334/1675834/-/r8appg/-/index.html

The Kampala north director of operations, Mr Sam Omala, grabs a garden fork from Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago before he was arrested and taken to Kiira Road Police Station. Police had earlier camped at Mr Lukwago’s residence from as early as midnight to bar him from participating in the opposition-led city cleaning exercise. 

Former Forum for Democratic Change President, Dr Kizza Besigye and Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago were Saturday morning arrested and detained at Kiira police station and Kira Road Police station respectively.

Police say the politicians will be interrogated for participating in an event organised by an outlawed group.

Mid-last week, Dr Besigye and several other members of the pressure group known as For God and My Country (4GC) held a press conference in Kampala which the police declared illegal saying attending the group’s activities tantamounts to unlawful society.

This prompted Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi, to order the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department to summon all opposition politicians who attended the press conference at Katonga Road in Kampala on Wednesday, culminating to the arrest of Dr Besigye and Mr Lukwago.

Others being hunted by police over the same charges are Jeema party president Asuman Basalirwa and Butambala County MP, Mr Muwanga Kivumbi.

Dr  Besigye was picked from his Kasangati home early this morning and taken to Kiira police station.  Mr Lukwago is being held at Kiira Road police station.  It is not clear when the two will be charged.

The arrests come just a day after the two were issued with police summons to appear at the Kireka- based Special Investigation Unit (SIU).