Walk to work: 15 A4C members facing treason charges

SOURCE : THE DAILY MONITOR, 18 OCTOBER 2011

IGP Kayihura at the media centre where he announced that 15 A4C members face treason charges.  

At least 15 members of Activists for Change (A4C) arrested during the weekend maybe facing death after the police preferred charges of treason, the police chief, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura said at the Media Centre.

The 15 A4C members were arrested in different areas including the IPC offices at Katonga Road in Kampala and they are detained at different police stations in Kampala. Treason is punishable by death on conviction.

Gen. Kayihura said they are hunting for Ingrid Turinawe, a Forum for Democratic Change woman leader, on the same charges for making remarks to some A4C members to overthrow the government in the Sunday meeting.

“We have a recording of her. It is a deliberate and well planned plot to overthrow the government. And today we share proof of this with the public. The public should be aware that any act done in furtherance of any such plot is also deemed treason,” Gen. Kayihura said.

The police say that the recording will be availed to the press shortly.

Since April this year, A4C a pressure group protesting the high cost of living has been engaged in walk to work campaign which has led to running battles with security officers.

Protesters unleash bees on anti-riot police officers

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 18 OCTOBER 2011

Police warned last night of stern action against whoever was responsible for a “bees attack” against its personnel in Rukungiri District where business was paralysed amid heavy security deployment in the crackdown on renewed walk-to-work protests.

Two unidentified protesters shocked police when they approached a patrol pick-up on Republic Street and smashed two pot-fulls of bees at them. The insects went wild, stinging the officers as protesters gathered.

The police officers, who were patrolling the street at about 11am, fled the scene as onlookers also scampered for safety. Scores of passengers were left stranded as the bus park remained closed. Boda boda and special hire stages were also deserted. Rukungiri District Police Commander Julius Selube described the bee attack as a dangerous tactic. He promised action against the suspects.

Rukungiri, the home district of opposition leader Kizza Besigye, remained tense as protests against the rising cost of living, amid perceptions of widespread State corruption, got off to measured start.

Thirteen arrested
At least 13 people, some of them area leaders of opposition parties, were confirmed as having been arrested or confined to their homes by security forces in the region.

About 20 people had started walking to work from Ntungamo’s Centenary Bank area moving towards FDC office but police intercepted them at Ntungamo Secondary School.In Ntungamo District, police fired in the air to disperse peaceful demonstrators. The District Police Commander, Mr Francis Kabera, said six people were arrested for allegedly disrupting business and inciting businesspersons to join them.

Those who were in police custody in Ntungamo by press time include Ms Alice Kafoda, the FDC chairperson for Women League, Mr Denis Mugizi the municipality FDC chairperson, Mr Benon Nuwagira, a businessman, Mr Aloysious Twine, the FDC administrative secretary, Mr Justus Muhwezi and Julius Sunday, a businessman.

Four other suspected demonstrators were arrested by Bushenyi police. All those arrested had not appeared in court by press time.

In Mbarara, DP vice president for western region Imam Issa Makumbi and three others were still in police custody by press time. Regional police spokesperson Polly Namaye said the Force was still consulting on charges to prefer against the suspects.

Policemen, who had camped outside the residences of opposition politicians in Mbarara Town, arrested Imam Makumbi soon after he emerged from his home on Makan Singh Street and attempted to address journalists.

Other politicians who were confined to their homes by a combined force of police and military personnel were FDC’s Stanley Katembeya and Mr Charles Atamba, the party’s district spokesperson.

Elsewhere, heavy security presence was visible on the main roads in all the four districts that make up Kigezi sub-region.

Eight A4C activists arrested

Walk to work protests resume

Activists launch second phase of walk-to-work

DP Boss Caged Over W2W

SOURCE: THE RED PEPPER, 17 OCTOBER 2011

DPC Ngozi Naanyurura arrests Imam Makumbi the DP boss in Mbarara

Imam Makumbi, the Democratic Party vice president for western region has been arrested for participating in the walk to work protests on Monday.

Makumbi was intercepted along Makan Singh Street in Mbarara town on Monday morning as he started his walk to work journey just a few meters away from his home.

Makumbi was arrested at around 9.30am by the Mbarara district police commander Nicklaus Ngonzi, who found him addressing the media along the street on the walk to work protests.

He was immediately driven away to Mbarara central police station in the DPC’s personal car. The police declined to talk to the media over Makumbi’s arrest.

Meanwhile, security remains tight in most parts of south western Uganda following the announcement by Activists for Change on Friday that they were resuming the walk to work protests.

By 5am on Monday morning, all hot spots and homes of prominent opposition leaders had been sealed off according to the regional police publicist, Polly Namaye.

Namaye says they could not sit and wait for the A4C to take advantage of their absence on the road to disrupt people’s businesses and the ongoing UNEB examinations.

Namaye says though they had talked to the organizers of the walk to work over the weekend to give up their plans, police could not take it for granted and had to deploy fully.

Walk to work: Teargas, gunshots rock downtown Kampala

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 17 OCTOBER 2011

A Policeman closing in on a protestor in Kampala on Monday who taking part in the walk to work demonstration. Thirteen people including the organizers of the walk to work demonstration have been arrested and due to be charged in courts of law.

Teargas and gunshots have on Monday morning rocked parts of Kampala City as Police battled to disperse protestors attempting to take part in the Walk to walk demonstrations. Many shops have remained closed in the Central Business District following the disturbances.

Witnesses say the Police action was prompted by protestors who blocked traffic on Kyaggwe Road and Kisekka Market Road while throwing stones at passerby motorists.

By 9.30am, despite the Police assurance that the situation had normalized, shops remained closed in Kisekka Market, at Equotorial Shopping Arcade, and other shops while protestors are still pelting stones to security personnel.

Kampala Metropolitan Police publicist, Ibin Ssenkumbi said the Police presence in the area was prompted by a group of persons who blocked traffic, “We intervened to enable smooth flow of motorists.”

Witnesses at the scene say the Military Police and other security agencies have been heavily deployed and are patrolling the streets amidst taunts from the protestors standing on the closed shops.

“The situation here is tense; people are throwing stones continuously at the security personnel and cars passing. There is a lot of noise and hooting,” said a witness.

The incident come as the planned walk to work protests resume despite Police warning people to desist from participating.

At Kanyanya, Gayaza Road, Police mounted a road block slowing the flow of traffic prompting exchanges between motorists, their passengers and the Police.

Dr Besigye was by 9am addressing an FDC meeting at Rider Hotel, Seeta, Mukono amidst heavy deployment of security operatives around the hotel.