Police unveil new tactics to contain Dr Besigye

The police said it is now going to try what it called “containment approach” in combination with the “preventive arrest” method it has repeatedly used over the last five years.

Fresh from a tour of Europe, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) strongman was prevented from leaving his Kasangati home yesterday morning. It was only hours later that Dr Besigye was let out by the police in the evening.

A day before he had faced off with the police in a series of clashes across town, a build-up from the grab-and-snatch the police pulled off when they spirited him off the Kenya Airways flight on Monday.
An Assistant Superintendent of Police only identified as Asiimwe told Dr Besigye that he was under instructions not to allow him to leave his house.

Same old story
Confirming the new direction, police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi, repeated the common police claim that Dr Besigye was stopped from leaving home purportedly because he planned to mobilise the masses to disrupt business in the city.

Mr Kaweesi did not provide any evidence to support this claim.
“Once we get to know that he has mobilised groups to cause chaos, we shall subject him to preventive arrest laws. We shall also use containment approach depending on case by case basis,” Mr Kaweesi said.

Yesterday’s events begin yet another phase in Dr Besigye’s long-running bid to exercise his rights to freedom of movement in the face of the police’s determination not to allow him freely enjoy these constitutional freedoms and other universally recognised civil liberties.

Soon after the presidential elections, the police placed Dr Besigye under house arrest for 43 days on the same allegations that they had information that he had plans to disrupt the peace.
In the containment approach, Mr Kaweesi said Dr Besigye will be under security surveillance.

On Monday, Dr Besigye hinted at what lay ahead for him, observing that the new government strategy was to ensure that he doesn’t talk to the people because “they know that they are illegally in power.”
Lord Mayor Mr Erias Lukwago, who had gone to Kasangati to pick Dr Besigye yesterday, said: “I had gone there for a meeting but when he stepped out, they blocked him. The police officer who commanded the operation ordered Dr Besigye to return to the house or face arrest, saying his life was in danger once he gets out of the home. We tried to reason out with them in vain.”

But in the evening, Dr Besigye insisted on moving out of his house, saying he will not be party to restricting his rights. When Dr Besigye’s supporters also joined, police put a condition that he shouldn’t move on foot before allowing him to leave his home.

“They continued trailing us as if we are criminals. Of course it is usual persecution and clamping down on civil liberties. What police are doing is illegal. Dr Besigye is not a security threat,” Mr Lukwago said.

The latest police action follow its banning of all parallel Independence Day events that have been organised by the FDC party, saying they will not have enough manpower to provide them security.
Justice Steven Kavuma, while sitting as a single judge of the Constitutional Court, on April 29, issued orders banning all FDC defiance campaign activities such as holding the Tuesday weekly prayers, stopping the then planned countrywide protests against President Museveni’s disputed February 18 election, among other party activities.

“An interim order doth issue against the 1st [FDC] and 2nd [Dr Kizza Besigye]respondents, their agents officials, supporters or any other person acting under their authority from engaging in demonstrations, processions, other public meetings, media campaigns or pronouncements, including but not limited to the planned demonstration or procession scheduled for 5th of May 2016 or any other day in furtherance of the defiance campaigning pending hearing and determination of the main application for temporary injunction,” Justice Kavuma’s orders read in part.

The orders of Justice Kavuma also affected and stopped two ongoing cases before the High Court in Kampala and Kasangati Court that were filed by Dr Besigye contesting the continued camping of police at his Kasangati home.

Dr Besigye was in those two cases, seeking express orders of the court directing police personnel who had camped at his residence for close to two months to vacate.
Both cases are still pending before the respective courts.

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