Besigye on a Police truck at Kasangati Police Station just before he was driven to court
TWO opposition party leaders, Col. Kizza Besigye, Nobert Mao, and over 10 other politicians were yesterday arrested and charged with inciting violence as they tried to hold a walk- to-work demonstration over rising commodity prices.
The politicians, who were arrested from various places trying to walk into Kampala city, were later in the day charged in Kasangati, City Hall, Nakawa and Mwanga II courts.
Before the arrests, there was a standoff between the Police and the politicians, who insisted on proceeding with their walk. They argued that it was their constitutional right. But the Police said the demonstration was illegal.
Besides Besigye and Mao, others who were charged with disobeying lawful orders, committing traffic offences and inciting violence included MPs Abdu Katuntu, Mathias Nsubuga, Wafula Oguttu, Jack Sabiti as well as opposition activists Kenneth Kakande, Elvis Kintu, Moses Kataabu, William Kamulegeya, Robert Kwesiga, Moses Kasibante and Robert Sendaula.
Besigye, the FDC president, was intercepted in Kasangati after walking for about two kilometres from his residence. He said he was walking to his party headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Entebbe road, about 20km away.
At one stage, Besigye defiantly sat in the middle of the road, ignoring orders to go to the nearby police station. He was bundled onto a pick-up truck, whisked to the station and later taken court.
