KAMPALA, UGANDA: Former Forum for Democratic for Change (FDC) president Kizza Besigye has been arrested and transferred to Naggalama police station.
Besigye was arrested today Tuesday while he was addressing a rally at Nakivubo Lane, Kampala City. Patrick Onyango the Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) spokesperson said that Besigye disrupted business, and traffic flow and incited violence.
According to Onyango, police were forced to tow Besigye’s vehicle registration number, UAK 773K to the Central police station (CPS). He was later whisked off to Naggalama together with Sam Lubega Mukaaku of the Democratic Party (DP).
Last month, Besigye through his pressure group, the People’s Front has been mobilizing Ugandans to protest the high cost of living. Besigye believes that their drive will awaken the citizens and protest the government’s failure to act on high commodity prices.
Besigye wants the government to reclaim the funds swindled by corrupt officials so that they can be used to enhance the salaries of civil servants and give relief to schools, among others.
Since the start of the year, prices of essential household commodities have been soaring – with many people struggling to make ends meet. Although several people have been calling on the government to make some intervention their calls are falling on deaf ears.
While reading the Shs 48 trillion FY 2022/23 budget today at Kololo ceremonial grounds, Finance minister Matia Kasaija reiterated that government will not intervene and cushion the economy against external factors such as the Ukraine war or Covid-19 travel and goods movement restrictions.
Government officials have attributed the increase in prices to the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the raging war in Ukraine.
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