Police deployed heavily yesterday and succeeded in blocking yet another opposition demonstration against the Electoral Commission. The demonstration was organised by women opposition members under the Interparty Cooperation (IPC), following two botched protests last week.
FDC Women’s League Chairperson Ingrid Turinawe, who commanded the group of women who had planned to march to the EC office to demand for the resignation of commission chairman Badru Kiggundu and his fellow commissioners, was reportedly beaten up in the ensuing fracas. “What type of police is this?” asked FDC spokesperson Wafula Oguttu, as Ms Turinawe was loaded onto an ambulance. “They almost killed her. Why did they have to act like this against a woman?” he asked.
Several IPC women league members claimed they saw police forcefully spraying teargas into Ms Turinawe’s mouth, but police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba denied the charge. Ms Nabakooba accused the IPC women of assaulting eight police officers including Assistant Commissioner of Police Grace Akulu whom she said was beaten by a “muscular black IPC woman” as she tried to arrest her.
Ms Turinawe and Catherine Ddembe, both members of FDC National Executive Committee, were rushed to IHN Medical Centre in Kampala but were later transferred to Nsambya Hospital. “For Ingrid, she was brought here when she was unconscious,” Dr Barbara Alumba, a medical officer at IHN, said. “We have given her first aid and sent her to Nsambya Hospital because we do not know the type of teargas used against her.”]
Previous battles
Yesterday’s fracas comes on the heels of recent street battles between the opposition and security operatives. FDC leader Kizza Besigye and other opposition leaders were victims of stick wielding men in plain clothes, commonly known as the Kiboko squad, who flogged them as the police stood on watch. The police insist it is not aware of the squad.
The squad was not seen at yesterday’s fracas that mainly played out at the Central Police Station and Buganda Road Court. The women had turned up at Buganda Road Court for the hearing of a case where they are accused of holding an unlawful assembly when they stormed EC offices on January 18.
State Prosecutor Stephen Asaba informed court that he could not go ahead with the case as he was still gathering witnesses, forcing court to adjourn the matter to July 29.
After the court session, the women then unleashed placards protesting Eng. Kiggundu’s leadership. A scuffle ensued, as female police officers moved to block the planned march. And when the group seemed to over power the officers, anti-riot police operatives fired teargas canisters to disperse them.
Deputy Director in-charge of operations Grace Turyagumanawe said charges of assault, holding an illegal rally and contempt of court would be preferred by the force against the women
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