Tension as Besigye is “held hostage” in Mubende FM studio

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Tension is high in Mubende Municipality where Dr. Kizza Besigye, the former Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party president is locked up in the studios of Mubende FM.

It all started this morning when a combined team of Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF and police officers stormed Mubende FM where Besigye was appearing on a talk show and tried to pull him out.

Yusuf Kato Kibalama, the host of Political talk show dubbed “Agali Awamu” notes, says the radio went off just ten minutes into the talk show.

He says minutes later security officers surrounded the radio station prompting management to lock the premises.

Ingrid Turinawe, the FDC Women League Chairperson, said the officers failed to gain entry into the studio because of the biometrics lock and where fidgeting to break-in by the time of publishing this story.

Dr. Kizza Besigye told URN on phone that he was safe but said there was a possibility that the police officers might have intentions of arresting him like they have done in the past.

Besigye said he has embarked on a campaign to traverse several parts of the country to demistfy the lies of president, Yoweri Museveni, which he said has blindfolded Ugandan for the last three decades.

Besigye says government is aware that he has critical information and has decided gag him from communicating to Ugandans more so those outside Kampala.

Our reporter has since established that the army and police have been keeping vivid presence in Mubende town since Wednesday night.

Alfred Kamya, residents of Mubende, says from morning the situation looked awkward and at some streets there was limited movement.

“We never knew what was happening but when we heard that Besigye was appearing on a political talk show on 106 Mubende FM. We tuned in but the radio went off.” Kamya told Uganda Radio Network.

The Wamala Region Police Spokesperson, Norbert Ochom declined to divulge details about the ongoing operation, only saying there was no chaos in the municipality and that Dr. Besigye wasn’t under arrest.

This isn’t the first time a radio station is running into trouble for hosting Besigye.

A similar incident happened last week in Kabale, where the Resident District Commissioner turned off Hope Radio station for hosting Besigye.

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