Former Presidential candidate Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye has been arrested as he attempted to stage a protest over the soaring prices of commodities in the country and an alleged “political succession.”
Dr. Besigye was nabbed from Kasangati moments after he left his home. Earlier there was a heavy deployment of Police to stop him from leaving his Kasangati based home. He was destined to launch his latest campaign dubbed ‘Wakeup call’.
On May 7, 2022, Besigye said he planned to start a campaign aimed at ensuring a smooth transition to a new leader, rather than a succession from President Museveni to his son.
The programme is dubbed ‘Tusimbule’ or ‘Transition not Success’. This is after Dr Besigye dismissed Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s birthday celebrations as aimed at launching his presidential bid which they say is a succession plot.
Speaking before his arrest, the four-time presidential candidate said his intentions are aimed at mobilizing citizens to protest against the hiking commodity prices in the country. He called for downsizing of parliament and claim swindled funds from corrupt government officials.
Mr. Matia Kasaija, the Minister for Finance Planning and Economic Development has since linked the skyrocketing price of commodities to high prices of fuel and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Currently, most of the prices of essential commodities in the country have doubled.
Dating from 2011, Besigye has spearheaded various protests in the country. Following his defeat in the 2011 presidential elections, he led the famous walk to walk campaign protesting the high prices of food and fuel.
At the peak of the campaign, Besigye was arrested for a fourth time on 28 April, during a “walk-to-work” protest and sprayed with pepper spray and dragged from his car by police. His arrest acted as a catalyst for additional protests leading to riots across Kampala, in which at least two people were killed and 120 people wounded, leading to some 360 arrests.
