Acerbic Senior Presidential Advisor on Media and Communications Tamale Mirundi has taken on outspoken opposition icon Dr Kizza Besigye, and accused him trying to divert the media from giving adequate coverage to a story involving Mathew Kanyamunyu, who allegedly killed social worker Kenneth Akena Watmon on Saturady evening.
Appearing today on ABS TV, Tamale Mirundi said Dr Besigye yesterday engaged in acts of ‘defiance’ to divert attention from Mr Kanyamunyu, who is a nephew to Dr Besigye’s wife Winnie Byanyima.
Yesterday, Dr Besigye engaged in altercations with the police as he was restrained from accessing Uganda House where he was headed to allegedly consult with his lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuzi.
This followed early appearances at the Nakawa magistrate’s court, where he had gone for the hearing of a treason case against him, and then a later date at the High Court, where he sought to settle his bail obligations.
“Besigye cannot dare to comment about Akena’s death simply because the prime suspect Mr Kanyamungu is his in-law,” Tamale Mirundi said adding: “as a move to divert the media Kizza Besigye had to cause chaos in the city.”
He added: “The responsibility was left to the media to spread their propaganda, while the police and a few Members of Parliament from the greater Acholi region were battling it out.”
Meanwhile, Tamale Mirundi did not also spare the rod; he took on government, accusing the state of lackadaisical approach to Kanyamunyu’s case, allegedly because of ‘fearing the Byanyima family’.
“That is why they (state) are silent on the Kanyamunyu issue,” Tamale Mirundi said, in respect to the accusations he made against the state and the Byanyima family, whose member Winnie was one of the first Ugandans to boldly come up and call for justice to prevail in respect to Akena’s killing.
Writing on her Twitter account, Ms Byanyima admitted that Mr Kanyamunyu, the prime suspect in Akena’s murder, is her nephew, and called for the law to take its course.
Since Winnie made the call several Ugandans have come up to condemn Akena’s killing, which police, through the Inspector General Kale Kayihura, has promised to investigate thoroughly.
