Policeman killed as Police use teargas to disperse Besigye supporters

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1370752/-/awsryyz/-/index.html

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 22 MARCH 2012

Police use teargas to disperse crowds. 

One Policeman identified as Assistant Inspector Bosco Ariong has been confirmed dead as Police tried to disperse supporters of Dr Kizza Besigye along Ben Kiwanuka street.

“One Policeman has been killed after he was hit by a stone on the head,” a police officer who preferred anonymity because he’s not authorized to speak on the matter confirmed to this newspaper by SMS.

In a scuffle between Police and A4C supporters, where stones were thrown coming from different buildings, a police officer was hit badly. He was later removed from the scene in critical condition and died two hours later.

Dr Besigye, alongside Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Kampala Woman MP Nabila Ssempala, Kawempe Mayor, Mubarak Munyagwa were on a tour through the city but however were blocked by Police.

Policeman killed as Besigye is released on police bond

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1371166/-/aws8cjz/-/index.html

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 22 MARCH 2012

Kampala Metropolitan police boss Andrew Kaweesi and other security operatives arrest Dr Besigye (C) in Kampala yesterday. 

IN SUMMARY

AIP John Bosco Ariong dies after reportedly being struck by an object as police disperse A4C supporters.

KAMPALA

FDC leader Kizza Besigye, released on Police bond Wednesday evening, will have to report to Police on Friday following the killing of a policeman on the city's Ben Kiwanuka street. Dr. Besigye was participating in a city road inspection tour led by Kampala mayor Erias Lukwago.

The tour turned chaotic as police attempted to prevent Lukwago's entourage from accessing the central business district of the city. In the resultant chaos as police fired tear gas and some demonstrators retaliated with stone throwing, an Assistant Inspector of Police John Bosco Ariong was critically injured and later died of the head injury.

Ariong, left behind by a wife and eight children, was struck by an object as police dispersed a crowd which attempted to join Activists for Change (A4C) in a walk into the city centre.

In a statement last evening, Deputy Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said violence against police officers on duty would be sternly dealt with and that those responsible for the death would be brought to justice although investigations were still at a very early stage.

“Ariong, a 48-year-old, served the Force for 26 years and died en route to hospital having been hit by a rock on his head,” Ms Nabakooba said. She said the “murdered officer” had been deployed as part of an operation to ensure the maintenance of public order during an illegal procession led by Dr Kizza Besigye.

Dr Besigye, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Kampala Woman MP Nabilah Ssempala and Kawempe Mayor Mubarak Munyagwa, and others, had just inspected roadworks at the nearby Kafumbe Mukasa Road when police moved in to break up the crowd that had gathered.

As the group approached Ben Kiwanuka Street, police formed a blockade, stopping them from proceeding further. The road was blocked for over 40 minutes as senior police officers negotiated with Dr Besigye and A4C supporters. Chaos erupted when stones and other objects were hurled at the police, prompting them to respond with teargas.

By press time yesterday, Ariong’s body was at Mulago Hospital mortuary where a post-mortem is to be conducted.

Ms Ssempala, Ms Ingrid Turinawe, Mr Lukwago and Mr Munyagwa were detained at Kira Road Police Station before being released on police bonds.
Initially, there was confusion as it was thought that the opposition leaders were being detained at the Central Police Station (CPS).

Accompanied by supporters, FDC’s Alice Alaso, Wafula Oguttu and Salaam Musumba rushed to CPS where they demanded to see Dr Besigye. The FDC leader’s lawyer Ernest Kalibala was also in another room at CPS demanding to see his client. Police, however, could not produce the leaders because they were not at the station. “They should produce Dr Besigye now or things will get worse right here,” Ms Alaso demanded.

By 4pm CPS was jammed with opposition politicians and A4C supporters who were becoming agitated.

This newspaper later learnt that Dr Besigye was released and forcibly driven to his Kasangati home. He, however, insisted on staying with the rest of the detainees, forcing the police to drive him to Kira Road Police Station.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Uganda (FCAU) issued a statement last night strongly condemning the alleged beating up of one if its members by police.

“Edward Echwalu, a freelance photojournalist who works for Reuters and The Observer, said he was beaten by four policemen using batons and a rifle butt outside Kira Road Police Station,” the statement read in part.

A4C members to celebrate global police brutality day

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1370412/-/awsufvz/-/index.html

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 21 MARCH 2012

Members of Activists for Change hold placards in Kampala yesterday. 

IN SUMMARY

Invited guest IGP Kale Kayihura has been invited to take part in the March 22 activities. Later, a petition will be presented to the Speaker of Parliament

Pressure group Activists for Change (A4C) yesterday unveiled a programme of activities to mark the International Day against Police Brutality.

First commemorated worldwide in 1997, the day is meant to draw attention to police brutality and acts as an opportunity to form and strengthen ties between groups that work directly or indirectly against State-inspired terror throughout the world.

The activities in Uganda will include the parading of torture victims and holding of a public dialogue tomorrow.
A petition to the Speaker of Parliament against police brutality will also be delivered.

Kayihura invited
A4C officials yesterday said Police Chief Kale Kayihura has been invited to the dialogue.

“An invitation has been dispatched to Uganda’s Inspector General of Police to be present during the dialogue, and to present the Uganda Police Force’s stand on police brutality,” A4C said in a statement yesterday.

In some countries, the statement said, police participate in activities to show their commitment to stamping out brutality within their ranks.

Other participants expected include Dr Kizza Besigye (FDC leader), Mr Asuman Basalirwa (current IPC chairperson), Mr Mike Mabikke (former Kampala mayor aspirant) and Mr Ken Lukyamuzi (CP), all of whom have been at the receiving end of brutal police attacks in recent months.

A4C said police brutality in Uganda is a well-documented phenomenon.

Programme coming later
Addressing the press at the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) offices in Kampala yesterday, Mr Francis Mwijukye, the FDC youth leader for Western Uganda, said communication would be made at a later date on the procedure of how and where the commemorations are to take place.

“An awareness campaign against police brutality will be launched to be led by activists and civil society groups,” Mr Mwijukye said.

Meanwhile, rumour that Dr Besigye’s home had been surrounded by police nearly disrupted yesterday’s activities. Journalists who rushed to the FDC leader’s Kasangati residence, however, found no deployment contrary to earlier reports.

“First, I was told there were some policemen outside my home. Now, I see journalists here. No one has stopped me from going out. I was not intending on leaving my home today. I have a lot of work to finish and this is disrupting me,” Dr Besigye told journalists.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Mr Ibin Ssenkumbi, later told this newspaper the deployment in and around the Kasangati area was in anticipation of chaos involving the persons intending to disrupt the operations of the Pioneer Easy Buses.

“We deployed to ensure there was no disruption of transport. It has nothing to do with Dr Besigye,” Mr Ssenkumbi said.

The June 2011 Uganda Human Rights Commission annual report ranked the Uganda Police the top human rights abuser for the third year running.

Brig. Tumukunde: We want freedom

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1370442/-/awsud8z/-/index.html

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 21 MARCH 2012

Speaking at a function in Rukungiri, Brig. Tumukunde, a former spy chief who fell out of the regime’s favour for opposing Mr Museveni’s third term, said he has failed to have an impact because of limited freedom. File Photo  

IN SUMMARY

Talking tough. Former spy chief laments limited political space and thanks Dr Besigye for treating him during the Bush War.

Former internal security chief, Brig. Henry Tumukunde, has become the latest senior army officer to denounce what he says is the lack of freedom under the leadership of President Museveni, whose government he criticised for betraying some of the ideals that inspired the 1981 - 86 bush war.

“I am a victim of not getting free competition. If I was given free competition, I am sure I would have made an impact,” said Brig. Tumukunde, the former head of the Internal Security Organisation at a celebration to mark the installation of Mr Mathew Rukikaire as honorary canon of St. Emmanuel Cathedral Kinyansano, Rukungiri District.

“Those who reach people who deny us free competition please communicate this because we fought for freedom such that freedom may rain on us.”

The weekend criticism echoes a similar though much harder-hitting critique of the leadership of Mr Museveni by another Rukungiri politician and former soldier, Dr Kizza Besigye, whose 1999 paper outlining how the NRM lost the broadbase, fell under the spell of a manipulative leadership and became undemocratic, set off a chain of events culminating in the prevailing tense political environment today.

Brig. Tumukunde said the lack of free competition had disadvantaged people like Mr Rukikaire.

“In Africa, there is no free competition. If there was free competition I am sure Mathew would have made a serious leader,” Brig. Tumukunde said, attracting applause.

A bush war hero, the former intelligence chief, fell out of favour with the establishment in 2005 and was forced to resign as army MP after he openly expressed his opposition to plans to have presidential term limits lifted from the Constitution to allow Mr Museveni run for a third term.

He was subsequently arrested, placed under house arrest for two years, charged and court martialled.
Since his fallout, Brig. Tumukunde, who is out on bail awaiting disposal of the case in which he is charged with allegedly spreading harmful propaganda, has kept a low profile.

His comments, however, will offer credence to recent remarks by former premier Kintu Musoke about the ailments afflicting NRM, including impunity, lack of ideological direction and corruption.

He also joins FDC leader Besigye, and other former bush war fighters who have either crossed to the opposition or continue to speak against the reported excesses of a government they see as being just as intolerant and disrespectful of the rule of law as the regime they went to the bush to fight.

At the function, Brig. Tumukunde thanked Dr Besigye -- himself a former ally and personal physician of Mr Museveni -- for treating him in the bush but questioned what could have inspired the “good doctor” to “go into murky politics.”

“When we were in the bush, I was shot. We never had many doctors but the first doctor to treat me was Dr Kizza Besigye. He was a very good doctor I don’t know why he chose to go into murky politics,” Brig. Tumukunde said.
Rujumbura MP, retired Maj.Gen. Jim Muhwezi backed Brig. Tumukunde’s assertions.

“What he (Tumukunde) is saying about freedom is right. Fighting for freedom and then after they cover your mouth and then those who didn’t then enjoy it is wrong. We must oppose it strongly, we must enjoy the fruits of our struggle,” said Gen. Muhwezi, a former bush war fighter.

He added: “People of our time would defend you against any false allegations because they knew your integrity. Now in Movement (NRM) we don’t defend each other, instead we accuse each other such that we get promotion. We no longer cooperate instead we are accusing each other. During the last election I was not fighting with FDC, I was fighting with my fellow NRM members who brought tribalism and religion.”

Mr Rukikaire said as long as people know what they want and fight for it, they will always get it.

Impeachment: NRM MPs targeted over signatures

Police deployed at Besigye's Home

MUSEVENI 'IMPEACHMENT'