Ant riot police of Tuesday morning got involved in running
battles with rioters who were protesting the cordoning of the home of Mr.
Christopher Kibanzanga, the chief campaign agent for Ms. Winfred Kiiza (FDC).
The Kasese woman MP by-elections are set for Wednesday August
6 and the race is tight between FDC’s Winfred Kiiza and NRM’s Rehema Muhindo.
Police raided Mr. Kibanzanga’s home by 4:00am on Tuesday but
he refused to open for them hence prompting FDC supporters to assemble there.
Anti-riot police was called in at about 8:00 when the
rioters started pelting stones and bricks in protest of the police action.
A source in the police who spoke on condition of anonymity
said it is suspected there are FDC bouncers hiding in Mr. Kibanzanga’s house.
This source said that police will not leave until Mr. Kibanzanga opens and a
search is carried out.
Close to 50 FDC youth brigade members were netted from Rock
Gardens Lodge 100meters from MR. Kibanzanga’s home. By press time they had been
loaded on a police Lorry and driven towards Fort-Portal.
According to Mr. Amin Ader son to former President Idi Amin,
FDC has brought 1200 youth brigade most of who from West
Nile to guard Kiiza’s vote from being rigged.
Ten other people among the rioters were arrested at the
scene as unconfirmed reports indicated that a police officer was injured by a
bow in Nyakasanga a suburb of Kasese town.
There was tear gas everywhere in Kasese town as police tried
to disperse the angry rioters. Business was paralyzed in Kizungu, Nyakasanga
and Kigoro areas of Nyamwamba Division.
Police and the electoral commission had warned they would
arrest all the people from outside Kasese who may temper with the election
process.
FDC chiefs Gen.Mugisha Muntu, Alice Alaso were the only ones
granted access to Mr. Kibanzanga’s compound.
Speaking to this reporter on Phone, Mr. Kibanzanga who is
also the Rwenzururu
Kingdom chief prince said
his royal guards informed him of the police raid at 3:30am before they started
knocking at 4:00am
Mr. Kibanzanga who claims he has 10 people including
visitors, dependants and his children inside the house, said he could not open
because the police officers failed to show either a search warrant or an arrest
warrant.
“I have decided not to open for these guys because they did
not show me any search or arrest warrant. I did not open because I thought they
may be terrorists targeting me. Why did they attack me without even the
presence of the chairman LC one?” Mr. Kibanzanga said on phone.
By press time, the Regional Police Commander western Mr.
Wilson Kwanya and other police chiefs could not make any comment claiming that
there is no action so far taken as for their mission.
The rioters were shouting “NRM fears that we (FDC) are going
to win, that’s why they are attacking Kibanzanga. Winfred will win the race
they like it or not”.
end
Good day Mr Kahungu,
ReplyDeletePlease get in touch with us sautiproject@gmail.com we have a couple of questions in regards to the election situation in Kasese.
Best Regards,
Sauti Project Editorial Team.