{UAH} Mu7 be careful, Ugandans will rise up because they have been left with no options.”

Museveni told not to drag police into politics

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By Monitor Team

Posted  Thursday, November 21  2013 at  02:00

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Kampala- Human rights activists and senior opposition figures yesterday asked Mr Museveni not to drag the police into a 'dispute' between the Lord Mayor and NRM.

Criticism of the government's action in Mr Erias Lukwago's affair revolves around the view that the police are being used illegally to restrict the movement of opposition politicians sympathetic to the Lord Mayor.

The warnings come after the police moved under the cover of darkness on Tuesday to transfer former FDC leader, Kizza Besigye from the Central Police Station in the city centre to Jinja Road Police Station.

Mr Lukwago, already facing the possibility of losing his seat, a scheme allegedly engineered by the NRM, was also transferred overnight from Naggalama Police Station in Mukono District to Kira Road Police Station.

Police forced its way into Dr Besigye's car on Tuesday after towing it from Ben Kiwanuka Street in downtown Kampala, while the Lord Mayor was picked from his Wakaliga home in Rubaga Division.

Yesterday, police had by 5pm not produced the duo in court and continued to hold them in custody.

Yesterday, Mr Norbert Mao, the Democratic Party president, Mr Joseph Bbosa, the Uganda Peoples' Congress vice president and Mr Livingstone Sewanyana, the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative executive director, all condemned the arrests as "unconstitutional."

Mr Bbosa said if Mr Museveni does not stop using the police to curtail fundamental rights and civil liberties, "the people of Uganda will rise up because they have been left with few options."

Mr Mao noted that the President's undue involvement in the Lukwago dispute has left him 'naked'.

"He is dragging the police into a political dispute. President Museveni and the NRM should respect processes," said Mr Mao.

Mr Ssewanyana spoke about the need for dialogue if the current stand-off between opposition politicians and the police is to be resolved.

"The preventive strategy that the police are using is inconsistent with the constitution. Inherently, it would amount to breach of freedoms of speech and association," he said