Kabale NUP vice chairman arrested for allegedly defacing Museveni’s posters

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Although Kabale municipality law enforcement commander Naris Byebirooha named his son Innocent, he doesn’t believe he is innocent and has personally led him to the police station where he is now locked up on accusations of defacing President Yoweri Museveni’s campaign posters.

Innocent Naturinda is the Kabale district National Unity Platform (NUP) party vice-chairman, and several NRM supporters have accused him of defacing campaign posters of incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

A resident of Karubanda in Mwanjari ward, Southern Division of Kabale municipality says Innocent Naturinda was arrested by police on Tuesday afternoon and detained at Kabale central police station. But Derrick Kateebire Mugyesera, Kabale district NUP chairman told our reporter that security officers since last week have been trailing, harassing, and threatening Naturinda over unclear reasons.

Kateebire who is also NUP’s Central Division LC5 councilor in Kabale municipality says that Naturinda was today forced by his father identified as Naris Byebirooha, commander of Kabale Municipality Law Enforcement Officers to go with him to police. On reaching police, Naturinda was immediately arrested and his father went away.

Brian Ampeire, Kabale District Police Commander confirms that Innocent Naturinda has been held after concerned National Resistance Movement (NRM) party officials complained against him for tearing Museveni’s posters and other NRM candidates in Kitumba sub-county. He says that Naturinda surrendered himself to the police.

Ampeire says that investigations into the matter are ongoing adding that this is a warning to other people with such intentions. He also says that Naturinda faces charges of malicious damage and criminal trespass.

Innocent Naturinda refutes the allegations, saying that he is only being harassed for nothing.

Kateebire also says that such arrests are intended to intimidate NUP supporters so that security and NRM officials get the way of rigging votes in the coming 2021 general elections. He instead faults security officers for openly defacing posters of NUP presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi wine last week.

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