UGANDA HAS DECLARED THAT THE STATE WILL CHARGE 29 MASTERMINDS OF RIOTINGS IN KAMPALA UNDER ANTII-TERRORISM LAW WICH CARRIES MANDATORY DEATH SENTENCE.

Writes Leo ,Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

TERRORISM charges have been lined up against 29 people suspected of having torched a police station during the rioting that paralyzed Uganda capital, Kampala two weeks ago, the NEWVISION has reported today.

The report by the government owned-newspaper was also confirmed by the official mouth piece of the government, Radio Uganda, monitored here.

It said, the decision to charge the alleged master minds of riots under anti-terrorism law, which carries death sentence, was announced by the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesman, Henry Kalulu, at a hurriedly convened press conference.

It came out at the backdrop of a vehement opposition by the East African Law Society, which has registered its displeasure with what it terms as, “the unjustified arrest and skirmishes in Uganda”.

Also journalists and writers in East Africa have urged the governments in the region, as well as the international community, to put pressure on Uganda, to ensure that charges brought against media personality, Mr. Kalundi Serumaga, as well as others held in detention on suspicion of aiding or propagating for rioters, are dropped altogether and the scribe consequently released from detention immediately.

In a petition signed by among others, Caine Prize winners Binyavanga Wainaina, Monica Arac de Nyeko and Yvonne Owuor, to President Yoweri Museveni and Ugandan Minister for Internal Security, Amama Mbabazi, the more than 30 writers-from the region and outside East Africa, said the move was an abuse of the freedom of the expression, association and a clear violation of human rights

In the allegation against the 29 suspects, who have since been classified by the police as the masterminds of the riots, the agitated supporters of the Buganda Monarch loyalists stormed the Nateete Police Station, which is located right in the middle of the Buganda kingdom, set it ablaze, destroyed property, including the suspects files, and torched 28 cars parked at the station. The rioters also looted the dwelling houses of police staff at their living quarters and looted their personal belongings.

About thirty or so policemen, who were manning the station at the material time, took to their heels and fled the place for their dear lives as the rioteers bayed for their blood.

According to the report, some of the gang burnt two motor vehicles to ashes, and set ablaze an electric transformer in Busoga, another Kampala suburb.

The suspects were later picked up one by one from Nasteete, Busoga and Kyengera, on the main Kampala-Masaka Highway.

The groups of suspects were by last night being detained by police at Kasule Police Station, pending court proceedings scheduled later this week.

The Nateete Police Station was attacked on the night of September 11 following the governments blocking of the Katikiro [Prime Minister} of Buganda visit to Kayunga district to prepare the ground for the official tour of the area by the Kabaka Ronald Mwenda Mutebi. This particular incident caused the standoff between the Central government and the semi-autonomous Kingdom of Buganda.

The police spokesman said the activities of the suspects contravened section seven of the Anti-Terrorism Act. This particular sections says that a person commits an act of terrorism when he is directly involved in, or is an accomplice in maiming or attacking any official premises, accommodation or means of transport. Such acts ”should be for the purpose of influencing the government or manhandling the public or a section of the public”. Such acts should also be “For political, religion, social or economic gains, indiscriminately without due regard to the safety of others or property, according to the Anti-Terrorism Act

Terrorism is a capital offence in Uganda, which is punishable by death if found guilty. The Terrorism suspects are always tried at the High Courts of Uganda..

President Yoweri Museveni last week made a surprise visit to Nateete Police Station and the neighborhood, to assess the damage. He warned that those responsible would face the full force of the law, and at the same time pledged to build a new and very important police station on the same plot of land.

The NEWVISION DAILY also reported in its today’s edition that 68 suspects will have to face charges of unlawful assembly, rioting, demonstration and looting property in court in Kampala, Mukono and Mityana.

A total of 100 people have appeared in different courts in Kampala, Mukono, Masaka and Mityana over the same charges. Five journalists, mainly those conducting talk shows in different vernacular FM Radio Stations are still in police custody.

Ends

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