Former Security Minister Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde has snubbed Summons by the Criminal Investigations Directorate-CID, where he is wanted to respond to allegations that he was holding a ‘meeting’ with veterans.
Tumukunde was expected to appear before the directorate at 11 a.m. today. However, he sent lawyers; Friday Roberts Kagoro and Anthony Wameli to report his inability to show up on grounds that the summons were not clear. According to the lawyers, the said summons was copied to the Chief of Defence Forces yet Tumukunde is no longer a serving military officer.
He is one of the 58 people who have so far expressed interest in contesting for the presidency, as Uganda goes to the polls in 2021. However, last evening, he expressed fear that the state was plotting to arrest him, as soon as he presented himself to the Criminal Investigations Directorate.
Through a statement read by Beatrice Kiraso, the Chief of Staff in his campaign team branded the Renewed Uganda, Gen. Tumukunde stated that he has in the past been blocked from holding lawful meetings with coordinators in different parts of the country, unlawfully arrested on several occasions, and charged on ‘trumped-up’ offences.
Tumukunde equally reiterated a warning to the government to be sensitive about the country’s stability especially after an election process has gone wrong.
Today, Kagoro said he believed Tumukunde’s fears when he found military officers in a room where he was expected to be interviewed from. But CID Spokesperson, Charles Twine, said police did not agree with Tumukunde’s lawyers.
Sources say the state using using police as a cover to harass Tumukunde and others using the military law so as to stop him from furthering his presidential ambitions.
