Uganda Regime Again Arrests Opposition Chief Dr. Besigye

Bessa

Besigye, middle, being dragged away

Uganda security agents reportedly used teargas to disperse a huge crowd that gathered to support opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye who was arrested by police as he was driving to a rally in the capital city of Kampala.

Dr. Besigye, former president if the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the country’s main opposition party, was reportedly manhandled during the arrest when he was removed from his vehicle and bundled into a vehicle belonging to security agents. According to a posting by an aide on Social Media he’s “not feeling well.”

The arrest comes after he was detained nearly two weeks go when he and other opposition leaders were driving to a meeting to discuss how to press the regime of Gen. Yoweri Museveni to agree to electoral reforms before next March’s presidential vote. Dr. Besigye and other leaders were arrested at that time when protests in nearby Burundi against the president’s attempts to run for a third term rattled the regime in Uganda.

Currently Gen. Museveni hand-picks the Election Commissioners, dominates the state media outlets, and uses funds from the national Treasury which he distributes in huge sacks or brown envelops during his political rallies. Gen. Museveni has ruled Uganda since he seized power in 1986.

Opposition leaders have vowed to halt the 2016 vote unless reforms that ensure peaceful, fair and free elections are made with the involvement of the political parties, civil society groups, relegious leaders, and other organizations.

Besigye was later released while his driver remained detained, according to postings by his top aides on Social Media.

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