Prime
Hoima clashes: Bunyoro Kingdom minister held
Police officers block Bunyoro Kingdom officials and subjects from accessing a disputed piece of land in Rwengabi village, Hoima District early this week. PHOTO BY FRANCIS MUGERWA
What you need to know:
The destruction. According to police, at least 70 houses were torched and a number of animals slaughtered. Several acres of crops where slashed and others uprooted
Hoima.
Police have arrested five suspects in the violent clashes that broke out in Rwengabi village in Hoima District on Wednesday.
Among the suspects include Mr Raphael Eribankya, the Bunyoro Kingdom works minister, Mr Abu Busobozi, northern ward councillor at Kahoora Division Council, Mr Joseph Bamusoni, Mr Mustafa Kimera and Ms Margaret Monday, the central ward councillor at Hoima Municipal Council.
“We have so far arrested five people in connection with the incident. We are conducting further investigations and whoever participated in the illegal acts will be prosecuted,” Assistant Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba said on Friday.
The suspects denied culpability. Mr Byakagaba is also the head of the Oil and Gas Protection Unit of the police.
He said during the clashes more than 70 houses were torched including a community school and crops and domestic animals were killed or looted.
Bunyoro Kingdom deputy prime minister Francis Sewante confirmed the arrests but asked police to refrain from hurriedly arresting the kingdom officials, saying, “The way forward should be dialogue.”
Mr Byakagaba told journalists in Hoima Town on Friday they would continue holding the suspects as investigations continue.
However, he declined requests to reveal what charges police are planning to place against the suspects.
Daily Monitor on Friday reported that detectives had started investigating the cause of the clashes between Bunyoro Kingdom loyalists and a group of suspected Congolese, who are said to have illegally encroached on a seven square mile piece of land which the kingdom claims.
The kingdom’s lands supervisor, Mr Joseph Twegonze, said they were surprised that the king’s subjects, who had gone to Rwengabi to secure the land for a proposed satellite city were attacked by suspected Congolese.
