Ugandan police on Monday arrested opposition leader Kizza Besigye and fired teargas to disperse hundreds of his supporters in capital Kampala, a witness said, in a move likely to stoke tensions ahead of Thursday’s presidential election.

Besigye was arrested and detained at several police stations on Monday after authorities accused him of breaking an electoral law barring candidates from holding processions in towns. He was arrested after the police asked him and his supporters to use a different route during their march into central Kampala, according to a witness at the rally.

Police then started firing teargas and arrested (Besigye) with two other opposition leaders

“They wanted him to use another road which was far away from where he wanted to go. Police then started firing teargas and arrested (Besigye) with two other opposition leaders,” said the witness.

“We arrested him because he was heading a procession from the suburb of Kamwokya to the city centre. He refused to adhere to police instructions to use a route that would not inconvenience people in the city centre, but he resisted and continued,”a police officer, Nelson Okot explained.

Okot said Besigye alighted from his car and attempted to travel by foot with his supporters after security forces blocked his vehicle. Police used teargas to disperse his supporters before he was arrested and taken to the central police station.

But he was removed from the central police station after his supporters started gathering there. He was hurriedly taken to Kiira road police station about 6km from the city centre, but after his supporters re-converged at that station, the police drove him to Kasangati police station near his home, 12km from Kampala. He was later taken to his home.

“They are violating my rights. The government has been threatened by my popularity and is trying to stop me from addressing my supporters” Besigye told the press.

Opposition politicians have condemned the arrest. ”We condemn what police have done. It is unconstitutional and outrageous,” DP party leader, Nobert Mao, said.

But the minister in the presidency, Frank Tumwebaze said the police were right to stop Besigye from disrupting business in the city centre. “Besigye has sensed that he is going to lose in the elections and now wants to cause chaos. Why hold a rally in the central business district of Kampala? He is trying to seek for publicity after sensing defeat ahead,” he said.
Source: The Africa Report