Police arrests musician Buchaman for disrupting NEMA meeting

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have arrested local musician, Mark Bugembe also known as Buchaman for allegedly disrupting a meeting organized by National Environment Management Authority –NEMA.

Patrick Onyango, the Kampala police spokesperson said Buchaman was arrested by Katwe police after he mobilized youth to disrupt a NEMA meeting on Thursday afternoon.

Onyango said NEMA and police were assessing the damage of rising Lake Victoria water levels in Makindye. NEMA officials later held a meeting with people who have been affected by increased water but it was disrupted by Buchaman and his group.

Police said Buchaman stormed the meeting saying it was not supposed to be held in his area without his involvement as President Yoweri Museveni’s advisor. Onyango added that Buchaman told the organisers that he did not want the meeting to take place.

“After their assessment, they gathered the community and they were addressing them. Bugembe gathered other unruly youth and they stormed the meeting with intention of disrupting it that he is a Presidential Adviser and he doesn’t want the meeting to take place,” Onyango said.

President Museveni appointed Buchaman to be his advisor on Ghetto matters in October last year during a meeting held at Kibuye, Makindye West constituency in Kampala. At the same meeting, Museveni appointed another singer Catherine Kusasira, as his advisor on Kampala.

However, State House Controller, Lucy Nakyobe, a few months ago said she did not know Buchaman and Kusasira as part of State House employees. She added that they have never been vetted and approved by the public service commission.

Onyango said since NEMA had moved with police, Buchaman was immediately arrested together with his bodyguard. The duo is currently detained at Katwe police station.

“He was picked together with his bodyguard since he was the ringleader and taken to Katwe police station,” Onyango said.

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