Minutes before being arrested by police on Thursday, Former Forum for Democratic Change president Kizza Besigye told journalists that he was tired of being arrested, driven to Naggalama Police Station, spend a day, and then dropped at home in the middle of the night.
“So, I refused to continue just to go in [waiting police van] to be taken to Naggalama [police cells]. It doesn’t make sense that I go out and be taken to Naggalama, I spend there a whole day and they bring me back in the middle of the night,” he said.
Long day that started with my checking on the barricades around our home. Was violently grabbed by “policemen” &detained in Nagalama Police Stn for “Preventive Arrest”; now dropped back home!
Impunity reigns in Uganda but we’re seeing last days of NRM/M7 Junta!@PGovUg @PoliceUg pic.twitter.com/i4wrYZMj1p— Kifefe Kizza-Besigye (@kizzabesigye1) August 23, 2018
“It doesn’t make sense when people remain just looking at you, asking what are you will do the next day.”
But just as he had predicted, the script did not change.
On Thursday morning, police officers, who surrounded his home in Kasangati at 5am, bundled him in a waiting van after he attempted to leave.
The officers drove off at breakneck speed and took him to Naggalama Police Station where he spent the day.
“Long day that started with my checking on the barricades around our home. Was violently grabbed by ‘policemen’ & detained in Nagalama Police Station for ‘Preventive Arrest'”, he tweeted.
He was languishing in a cell as independent MP Bobi Wine faced the General Court Martial in Gulu and later on, the chief magistrate court.
It was not clear why the officers arrested Dr Besigye, President Museveni’s bush doctor-turned-rival and foe.
But in the middle of Thursday night, he was driven back to his home and dumped at the gate.
Dr Besigye later tweeted: “Impunity reigns in Uganda but we’re seeing last days of NRM/M7 Junta!”
At Naggalama Police Station, Dr Besigye was charged with the offence of preventive arrest.
According to a police release bond, Dr Besigye is required to appear at Kasangati Police Station at 8.30am on August 28, 2018.