Police attack opposition leaders with pink paint
By Timothy Nsubuga
11th May 2011:
Otunnu and other opposition leaders covered in pink dye
Uganda Police Force anti riot officers yesterday surprised protesting opposition leaders and their supporters in the capital city Kampala when they abandoned the usual tear gas and deployed water cannon trucks on the streets which sprayed the protesters with high pressure water laden with pink dye.
Uganda People’s Congress [UPC] Party President Dr. Olara Otunnu, Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] Deputy President Salaam Musumba, and former independent presidential candidate Sam Lubega who were attempting a work to Constitutional Square for a joint opposition rally were attacked with the pink dyed water and stopped in their tracks; forcing the opposition leaders to abandon their mission.
On the other side of town, Democratic Party [DP] President General Mr. Norbert Mao, and Jeema’s Muhammed Kibirige Mayanja were not lucky enough. Both opposition leaders were sprayed with the pink stuff and arrested. By the time we went to press, the two opposition leaders were still under detention at Kira Road Police Station.
This reporter’s request to speak to either Mao or Mayanja was flatly turned down by a rude female police officer. “…What do you want here? Why do you want to speak to them? Go away. You people think you can do and write whatever nonsense you like. You don’t care about the future of this country. So go away”, the officer said.
Inspector General of Police [IGP] Maj. General Kale Kayihura however told Journalists at Kampala Central Police Station [CPS] that he was very satisfied with the way his officers dealt with the opposition protesters. The IGP also confirmed that his officers will adopt the same approach to deal with Dr. Kizza Besigye’s supporters who will be welcoming him back home if they don’t follow police guidelines and orders.
UPC Party President Dr. Olara Otunnu however told Uganda Correspondent that the tactics being used by the police against peaceful and unarmed civilians protesting against the high cost of living in Uganda amounted to “…degrading and inhuman treatment and therefore unconstitutional”.
It is exactly one month to the day since the ‘Walk-to-Work’ protest campaign were launched by ‘Activists for Change’ [A4C]; a political pressure group. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
