Uganda Opposition Leader Marks 1 Month Under House Arrest

Monday March 21, 2016

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It has been a month since Ugandan police placed opposition leader Kizza Besigye under house arrest following the February 18 presidential election. Besigye has since been arrested about nine times - whenever he tries to leave his house.

The U.S. and European Union have both called for Besigye’s immediate release. But Ugandan police spokesperson Fred Enanga says Besigye is being held lawfully.

“You could be aware of the circumstances that led to the police enforcing the preventive action under Section 24 of the Police Act where under that section we are empower and of course obligated to undertake preventive arraignment where we have reasonable belief that the unrestrictive movement of an individual or a group of persons can basically lead to either injury to the wider public as well as obstruction to traffic flow on the major highways,” he said.

Enanga said the police had reliable intelligence that indicated Besigye, if left alone would cause public disruption.

Besigye has asked the courts to declare the siege of his house illegal and award damages for the inconvenience and mental anguish it has cost him.

“I have instructed them to take the matter the courts of law so that I am produced in court and a charge is either leveled

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