Former presidential candidate, Dr Kiiza Besigye, has been arrested after police broke into 106 Mubende FM Radio studios as he argued about the current political tensions and impunity in Uganda police force.
This happened barely a week after Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Erick Joseph Sakwa ordered for the switching off of 88.6 Kiira FM that was hosting Dr. Besigye, forum for democratic change (FDC) party president Patrick Amuriat and other party members.
Rtd colonel stealthily reached at Mubende for his usual radio campaign of mobilizing against the current leadership of President Yoweri Museveni. The talk-show that is hosted by Yusuf Kato kicked off by introducing the programme and his guest, Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Shortly after introducing himself, Police surrounded Pride Building which houses the radio station and ordered for stoppage of transmitting the talk-show. Police however, tried to access studios by destroying the Biometric keyless door system.
In the process, they banged the doors and later accessed control room and switched off the transmitter after 11 minutes of the show.
Dr. Besigye interfaced with the police officers asking them why they have continued with the impunity of switching of radio stations that try to him as he mobilizes ahead of the 2021 elections. He is currently detained at Mubende central police station.
This is among the many radio station closed over Besigye, two weeks back Security personnel switched off Hope Radio in Kabale municipality over hosting FDC party leaders.
In July 2015, Jinja Municipality West MP who also doubles as NRM chairman for the district, Moses Balyeku ordered staff at his Baba FM to switch off the radio station which had started to transmit a live talk show where Besigye had gone to feature as a guest.
In November 2009, Besigye was blocked from appearing on Nenah FM in Karamoja to address the public. In May 2007, the Kitgum-based Kitti FM was switched off air 30 minutes after Besigye had started speaking on the radio’s talk-show. The radio’s generator was switched off, reportedly on the orders of the then area RDC.
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