PRESS STATEMENT

This Police statement is to make clarifications, and inform the general public about
the circumstances surrounding the continuing regulation, and close monitoring of
the movements and activities of Rtd Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye, by the Police, since
Monday, 15th February 2016 todate. This is because there is continued campaign
of distorted information, speculations, biased, and unfounded, as well as unfair
criticism of Police actions, as well as outright lies regarding the handling of
Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye by the Uganda Police.
First of all, we wish to state, at the very beginning that the responsibility for the
actions that Police has taken involving Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye during, and after
the campaigns lies squarely on his shoulders and that of his unruly and
indisciplined supporters. Indeed, contrary to propaganda in the media, in all our
actions, Police have acted lawfully, professionally, conducted ourselves with
utmost restraint in the face of incredible provocation. A case in point is the violent
assault by two foreign journalists on the DPC, Kasangati, who, in spite of the
attacks, kept cool, and a calm demenour, and by his conduct actually disproved the
unacceptable insults they were hurling at him. We are reviewing the video footage
of that incident, after which appropriate action will be taken.
Let us begin with the incidents of Monday, 15th February2016, in the City, when, in
the morning, at Punjani roundabout, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye, then a Presidential
candidate with a rowdy group of supporters, attempted to force his way, into the
City centre, in an illegal procession, moreover on a busy business day with very
heavy traffic. Since he had no scheduled programme in the City centre, traffic
police redirected him and the crowd to use alternative routes to Makerere
university where he had a scheduled campaign rally. He refused the guidance of
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the officers, and, instead, together with the rowdy crowd, (who we, later, got to
learn were the infamous Power 10 (P 10) group), illegally occupied the Punjani
junction, and blocked the heavy traffic on Jinja-Kampala road. The rowdy group
pelted police officers, and members of the general public with stones forcing the
Police to disperse them, and, after, engaging Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye, in vain,
including offering to escort him to Makerere university, the Police escorted him to
his home. Later in the day, he returned to the City from Kasangati, gathering
rowdy crowds along the way, especially the youth, who must have been the P10
group, occupied Wandegeya traffic lights junction, after failing to force their way
into the City centre claiming that they were headed for Nasser road!! The Police
had cleared the passage to Makerere university under the mistaken belief that
Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye was headed for a rally. After the Police dispersed the
rowdy crowd, allowing traffic to flow, and business life to continue, Rtd Col Dr
Kizza Besigye was escorted back to his home in Kasangati by the Police.
Secondly, so as to prevent further confrontation with Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye,
who was scheduled to campaign in Nakawa Division, the Police, on the night of
15th February 2016, met and agreed with the organizers on a detailed programme of
his campaign in the Division.

However, even then, although, generally, the

movements of Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye through Nakawa division, the next day,
Tuesday, 16th February 2016, was peaceful and smooth, in the evening hooligans
who were part of his convoy attacked NRM supporters, who were returning to their
homes from the NRM rally at Kololo, tore their party t-shirts, stole their properties,
and stoned vehicles in Kinawata and in the Bugolobi area. Police arrested over 50
thugs.
Thirdly, again, on Thursday, 18th February2016, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye and a
group of his supporters stormed and trespassed on security premises in Naguru,
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and under the supervision of Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye, a senior Police Officer
was assaulted and tortured by mob action. Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye demanded to
enter and search the security premises together with the violent people he had gone
with. He, falsely, alleged that it was a place where rigging was taking place.
Obviously, this was a pretext, as he clearly knew where and how voting, counting,
and tallying had taken place or was taking place, transparently, in the open, and in
the presence of agents of all candidates under the management and supervision of
the Electoral Commission.

The false claims by Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye were

clearly meant to discredit the electoral process, cause confusion, and incite and
enrage the public into violence. After that incident, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye was
escorted by the Police to his house in Kasangati.
Fourthly, on Friday, 19th February 2016, we received information that
Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye and other leaders of FDC intended to declare and
announce results of the Presidential elections.

Obviously, since this was in

violation of the Constitution and the law, and would cause confusion, the Police
quickly acted and prevented it from happening. It should be noted that, under
Section 57 of the Presidential Election Act, it is only the Electoral Commission that
has the mandate to declare results. Section 83 of the Presidential Election Act
prohibits interference with any duty under the Act (including declaring results).
Indeed, to confirm our information, we found Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye and other
leaders at the FDC Headquarters at Najjanankumbi, with journalists, preparing a
Press Conference. Morever, through social media platforms and sms messages, the
FDC had made their intentions known publicly. The Police officers I sent
attempted to engage with the FDC leadership in vain. They were defiant. Their
supporters attempted to block Entebbe highway prompting the Police to intervene
and restore public order. Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye and other FDC leaders were
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then arrested, briefly held, and later released. Rtd Col Kizza Besigye was, then
escorted back to his home in Kasangati.
Fifthly, on Saturday, 20th February, 2016, the Electoral Commission pursuant to its
constitutional and lawful mandate, declared the results of the Presidential election,
and the winner of the elections. Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigyes agents absented
themselves and therefore did not collect their copy of the results. Subsequently, on
21st February, 2016 Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye released two statements and
addressed the press at his Kasangati home. The first statement was to the youths,
inciting them and calling on them to take over their country. The second
statement was an announcement calling all his supporters to accompany him to
offices of the Electoral Commission along Jinja road, ostensibly to pick his copy of
the results and to claim their future back. This procession was to occur on
Monday, 22th February 2016. It is now, common knowledge that any procession,
like any public meeting, must be carried out in accordance with the Constitution
and the law, in particular the Public Order Management Act (POMA). He had not
bothered to notify the Police as required by the law. Moreover, it should be noted
that on that day, schools were beginning and parents would be taking children to
school, meaning there would be more traffic in the City. The Police released a
public statement calling on Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye to respect the law as well as
the rights of parents and their school going children, as well as the business
community, and not go ahead with his planned unlawful procession that had the
potential for violence, given our earlier experiences with rowdy youth
accompanying his convoy.
Nevertheless, on 22rd February 2016, Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye attempted to
leave his home and lead that procession prompting the Police to hold him under

preventive arrest. Again, yesterday, Tuesday, 23rd February 2016, he attempted to

go ahead with his plans, but Police stopped him.
Clearly, therefore, the Police actions regarding Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye are
justifiable both in law and in fact. We have a duty to protect the people and their
property, and ensure there is law and order in this country.

Moreover, the

Constitution is clear that individual rights and freedoms are not absolute.
Article 43 states that in enjoyment of freedoms and rights, no one should prejudice
the rights and freedoms of others and public interest, (in this case, public order).
Accordingly, therefore, the regulation, and close monitoring of the movements and
actions of Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye is within the constitutional and legal mandate
of the Uganda Police, and is a consequence of his utterances and activities that
amount to incitement to violence and defiance of the law.
But even then, and contrary to propaganda in the media, we wish to make the
following clarifications:
Rtd Col Kizza Besigye is not under house arrest. He is allowed unlimited
access to his lawyers, family and party officials, among others, and is not in
any way hindered from preparing to legally challenge the results of the
Presidential Elections if he so chooses to do so.
FDC offices have not been closed, and their activities relating to elections
are ongoing.

Police has not, as is claimed in the media, confiscated

FDC declaration forms or done anything to interfere with the legitimate

activities of FDC.
In conclusion, since Rtd Col Kizza Besigye has not retracted his statements of
defiance and incitement to violence, Police shall continue to regulate and closely
monitor his movements so that he does not pose danger to public peace and
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national security. Moreover, we have information that his planned procession is

not just a procession, but rather beginning of a planned and generalized campaign
of violence in the City and select municipalities across the country. Clearly, this is
supported by the public utterances of Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye. As much as
possible, we shall continue to constructively engage him and other FDC leaders
urging them to cooperate with us to ensure that peace, law and order are
maintained in our country, and advise them to seek legal redress rather than
resorting to violence in addressing whatever grievances they may have.

General Kale Kayihura

Inspector General of Police
24 February, 2016