The walk to work protests in Uganda has taken a new twist following the injuring of opposition leader Kizza Besigye as he walked to work this morning. One person has also already been confirmed dead after being hit by a teargas canister, while several people including six pupils are admitted in hospital following police clashes with opposition activists in Kasangati, a Kampala suburb.
Besigye was injured on his right arm after a scuffle in Kasangati when soldiers were deployed at Kalerwe-Gayaza road where he was walking to work on the second day of opposition organized walk to work protests against high commodity and fuel prices in the country.
Dr. Kizza Besigye has been admitted at Kampala Hospital in Kololo, Kampala and not Mulago Hospital as earlier reported. He was picked and taken to hospital by the Uganda Red Cross, who dismissed earlier reports that Besigye had been shot
Uganda police on guard
Police Spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said the police had warned the opposition leaders against the protests and they should not have come on streets. She said the police has contained the rioters in several parts of Kampala and neighbouring towns
The three time Presidential candidate and key challenger of President Yoweri Museveni had just left Kasangati where the police first stopped him and kept him holed up in a road trench. Police fired teargas in Kansangati injuring several people, but it was surprising when the police left and Besigye was left to continue his walk to his office.
A retired colonel of Uganda People’s Defense Forces, Besigye is said to have been injured when members of a combined anti riot police and regular soldiers squad that was deployed on Gayaza kalerwe road where he was walking started shooting live bullets in the air. Opposition protesters in Bwaise and kawempe turned rowdy and the police responded by more deployments and firing tear gas.
A police in Bwaise escorts a man injured in protests
Big protests are now being feared in Kampala and neighboruing towns following Thursday death and injuries including to Dr. Kizza Besigye as he walked to office on Thursday.
Soldiers along Kalerwe Gayaza road are reported to be shooting live bullets as other security forces join police to quell opposition protests currently being reported in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Lugazi, Masaka and Jinja towns.
Several politicians including Leader of opposition in Parliament, Prof. Ogenga Latigo, Mukono North MP, Betty Nambooze and Kyadondo North MP elect Semujju Ibrahim Nganda, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Kyadondo South MP, Issa Kikungwe, Kitgum Woman MP Beatrace Aywar have also been arrested in Thursday’s walk to work protests.
You can follow our live reporting of the protests at http://www.weinformers.com/2011/04/14/chaos-in-kampala-as-uganda-police-fights-opposition-on-walk-to-work-protest/