President Yoweri Museveni has castigated reckless shooting in the November 18th and 19th riots which claimed over 50 people noting that he is closely working to see them compensated. Museveni said during Labour Day celebrations held at Kololo independence grounds.
Museveni’s statement follows BBC Africa Eye’s documentary ‘Three Killings in Kampala,’ which is based on the analysis of more than 400 mobile phone videos and the testimony of more than 30 eyewitnesses, says it has damning new evidence that security forces shot peaceful Ugandan citizens. According to interviews conducted on most of the victims, none of them received help from government.
The killings happened in the run up to Uganda’s elections, as the police and the army responded to violent protests sparked by the arrest of the opposition candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine.
“Everybody knows that the Government I lead cannot condone reckless shooting of people. When it happens, we act. I have all the files of the people that were shot on November, 18th. I am following them,” Museveni said
Museveni said many of the people who were arrested in the November riots were released and supported. “I want to assure Ugandans that there is no way we can condone impunity. The soldiers sometimes go without proper briefing. The law is clear. There is a way to handle illegal riots,” he said
“Anybody honest knows that the government I lead cannot condone shooting people. We always follow up person per person. I have a list of people who died in those riots in Luuka,” he said
In tandem, Museveni castigated Gen Katumba Wamala shooting incident by unknown gunmen who were riding on motor bikes along Kisota road in Kisaasi. The incident left both his daughter Brenda Nantongo Wamala and his driver Kayondo Haruna dead.
“I want to assure Ugandans that they are safe. There was a bit of laxity on our part on the attack on Gen. Wamala, the killers stayed in that area for 55 minutes. There are those that go and kill the opposition so that the government is blamed, well, we shall deal with that also,” he said.
