The leading opposition figure in Uganda Dr. Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change has been sent to prison after he was presented in Nabweru Magistrate’s Court and charged with unlawful assembly. Besigye will spend Easter weekend in prison as he will appear in Court on April 27th when his bail application will be heard.
Besigye walking to work on Thursday
Besigye was arrested earlier on Thursday at Kalerwe as he walked to work on the fourth day of the walk to work protests organized by Activists for Change, a local pressure group. The group says they are protesting against the rising cost of living in Uganda.
Besigye has been denied bail and remanded to a prison yet to be established. He was charged with unlawful assembly. It is the 4th time in two weeks that three time Presidential candidate is being arrested and charged for similar crimes after being caught walking to work.
State Attorney Gladys Nyanzi who led the prosecution told Court that Besigye led an lawful assembly Thursday morning with protesters marching along Kalwere Gayaza road. She said the protest affected public order and hampered the rights of other road users in the areas. Attempts by Besigye’s lawyers to appeal for bail were futile as the magistrate reportedly had many other cases to attend to.
It is not clear where besigye has been imprisoned but reports indicate he has been taken to Nakasongola prison to join DP President Mao. A source told us that the prison is far off and opposition activists will unlikely go there to protest for their release.
President Yoweri Museveni warned yesterday that Besigye and other opposition supporters will not be allowed to walk to work, but the activists went ahead, and this time Besigye has been imprisoned.
Besigye is second President of a political party to be imprisoned over walking to work, after Mao was locked up on Monday.