Musumba and 17 others released

By Julius Odeke

The Vice president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party Salaamu Musumba has been released from police cells where she had been remanded a few hours before the Butaleja by-elections.

The FDC’s spokesman Wafula Oguttu also an MP for Bukhooli Central told The Independent that, “Musumba and 17 others were released since they had no case to answer.”

Musumba was on Sunday evening arrested together with seventeen other opposition supporters on allegation that they were bribing voters in Butaleja.

However, according to Oguttu, he says Musumba was on her way to go and briefly visit her grandmother who hails from Himutu Sub County before she was intercepted by the police and detained at Malaba Police post.

“Government simply feared our people because they are aware that without intimidating the electorates they will never win any vote,” said Dan Mugarura while talking to The Independent.

The Independent candidate Satah Annet Logose’s father John Byamukama was also arrested and held at the Malaba police post, a place that became a temporary detaining centre.

“We don’t want anybody to destabilise the peace that the people of Butaleja are supposed to enjoy at the expense of these opposition supporters,” the police spokesman Vincent Ssekate said.

He added that police is not only arresting opposition supporters as alleged by some leaders in opposition. “We are arresting those whose intention is to bring chaos in Butaleja.” Ssekate said.

Butaleja went to polls on Monday Feb. 11 where five candidates were contesting in order to fill the vacant post that the late Cerinah Nebanda.