Kampala-Police has placed Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Dr. Kiza Besigye under house confinement for attempting to walk to work in protest against skyrocketing commodity prices in the country.
According to Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson, Besigye was on Thursday morning arrested outside his home in Kasangati, Wakiso district and blocked from proceeding to the City Center.
“We got information late in the night that Dr. Kiza Besigye, the former FDC president had a planned demonstration in the city center Kampala over the continuous rise in prices of commodities. In respect to what we know about many of his demonstrations and his ideas of defiance, he didn’t go through the normal procedures as per the public order management act and so we had to stop him from accessing the City Center with any other person that was accmpanying him and was taken back to his home.” Says Owoyesigyire.
He adds that police will maintain presence at Besigye’s home as long as they feel there’s a threat of him engaging in such activities.
Owoyesigyire however says one person indentified as Benson Mwesigye has been arrested for reckless driving after he allegedly knocked one of the patrol vehicles in the vicinity.
“More details on this incident will be availed but he is being charged with a traffic offence of reckless driving causing an accident. It is a minor accident cause no death or injuries have been recorded.” He said
This is not the first time Besigye is arrested for protesting against commodity prices. After the 2011 elections, Besigye led the walk to work protests that paralysed the city and led to his violent arrests.
