{UAH} 2006:Four shot dead at Besigye meeting

Four shot dead at Besigye meeting

Thursday, February 16, 2006 — updated on July 03, 2020

Mr Besigye

Mr Besigye

Four people were shot dead at Bulange, Mengo, the seat of Buganda's Kingom disrupting a visit by the leader of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change, Dr Kizza Besigye.

The killer shots were fired by Mr Magara Radmathan, an aide to the Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Lubaga Division Mr Fred Bamwine.

Mr Magara fired into the crowd, sending people scampering for safety.

At the time of the shooting, Dr Besigye who had paid a visit to the Kingdom's Katikkiro (Prime Minister) Mr Dan Mulika, was being walked to his car, in the compound of the Katikkiro.

Mr Mulika had just handed Dr Besigye a Buganda certificate he bought at UShs 2 million when all hell broke loose.

When the bullets went off, the Katikkiro fled back to the confines of the buildings while Dr Besigye sought refuge in his car.

The excited pro-Besigye crowd that had gathered right at the main entrance of Bulange and around the perimetre wall also scampered.

According to Daily Monitor journalists who were at the scene, a white Toyota Corona car, with President Yoweri Museveni's poster attempted to drive through the sea of people.

One of the FDC supporters put Dr Besigye's poster on the vehicle infuriating the occupants.

Armed with an AK-47, Mr Magara cocked the gun and then fired at the crowd, which fled in disarray marking another chapter of the murky and troubled politics of Uganda.

A boda boda cyclist, survived being shot first. He dived off his bike. He missed the bullet that hit his neighbour, who looked to be in his mid-twenties.

Mengo was yet again under siege. The crowd fled into shops, banana plantations while others took cover.

Four dead bodies, including a woman were lying on the ground.

Others attempted to climb over the walls.

At the offices of the RDC, the crowd attempted to break the door of the RDC's office.

They also tried to set the office ablaze using keresone.

Military Police came to the scene just in time to save the RDC.

When calm returned, an agitated Dr Besigye said, "This is an unnecessary killing of innocent people."

He later drove off after about 45 minutes under tight security, towards Makerere University, where he was supposed to address another rally. Before the assault, two armoured vehicles patrolled all roads leading to Bulange.

The military police later on cordoned off Kabakanjagala Road. A military vehicle parked in the middle of the Road. Those who attempted to go through the Road were whipped.

Meanwhile, Dr Besigye's campaign received a boost yesterday when a judge adjourned his treason trial until after the February 23 election.

Justice Vincent Kagaba ordered the trial to resume on March 15 after the prosecution said it needed time to respond to what the defence called "incurable" defects in the state's charge sheet. Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party says the charges against its candidate are meant to sideline him ahead of the polls. The government denies it.

Museveni is favourite to win next week, with the latest poll giving him 50 percent of votes versus 33 percent for the FDC leader. If neither man takes more than 50 percent on the day, a run-off will be held within a month.

• Additional reporting by Reuters.

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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