Police in Rwampara District on Thursday afternoon used the harshest arsenal under their command to disperse rallies organised by FDC Leader Colonel Kizza Besigye and his team.
In the melee that had crowds running all over the place, the Police unleashed water cannons, fired volleys of teargas and live bullets to diffuse crowds gathered at Nyeihanga Trading centre in Rwampara district to listen to Besigye’s rhetoric
Police had earlier halted a rally Besigye and his followers staged at Bugamba in the same district.
The FDC Honcho was accompanied by Party President Patrick Amuriat, Secretary for Mobilisation Ingrid Turinawe, Buhweju Lawmaker Francis Mwijukye, Kawempe South legislator Mubarak Munywagwa and other party officials.
They were in the area at the invitation of former area lawmaker Vincent Kyamadidi who recently crossed from the ruling party NRM, to FDC.
At Nyeihanga, Mbarara DPC Jaffar Magyezi told the politicians that they had no right to conduct a political activity without authorisation from police.
The defiant opposition leaders gave police a deaf ear and the ensuing chaos had police swing in to stop the rally.
With defiant politicians and a raging crowd, what followed was a battle field as police fired bullets, teargas and used water cannons to stop the rally.
By the time of filing this story, many supporters who had fled the rally scene were seen re-grouping at the nearby trading centre to discuss the events of the afternoon. Police have maintained they will not allow politicians to hold illegal rallies with no authorisation.
