A leading Ugandan opposition figure was arrested and
charged with murder, police said on Friday, after a deadly
anti-government rally that security personnel broke up with teargas and
bullets.
Kizza Besigye who has contested and
lost four presidential elections against long-time leader President
Yoweri Museveni, was detained on Thursday.
He and two
other senior officials of his opposition Forum for Democratic Change
(FDC) were held as they travelled from Rukungiri to the town of Kabale
near the border with Rwanda, police spokesman Denis Namuwoza said.
In Wednesday’s rally, two people died
as police fought running battles with government opponents who were
assembling at the Rukungiri Stadium in southwestern Uganda to denounce a
legislative plan to extend Museveni’s rule.
“He is wanted in Rukungiri on charges of attempted murder of policemen and holding unlawful assembly,” said Mr Namuwoza.
He
said Mr Besigye and other FDC officials led the youth who pelted police
officers with stones. He said they actions caused deaths.
President Museveni, 73, is barred by from running again by the
Constitution which caps the age of a presidential candidate at 75. The
next elections are due in 2021.
In power for more than three decades, Mr Museveni is backing proposed legislation to remove that age ceiling.
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