UYD activist survives lynching for grabbing microphone from minister

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Andrew Mugonza, the Democratic Party-DP youth wing national deputy organizing secretary has narrowly survived lynching for grabbing a microphone from the Micro-finance State Minister, Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune.

He was assaulted and undressed at Kasaka Catholic Parish youth day in Kirumba County in Kyotera district on Sunday evening where the Minister was chief guest.

It all started when Mugonza who was dressed in a red overall and beret sprang from his seat and tried to grab a microphone from the minister to cut short his speech. Patrick Kibuule, an eye witness says the minister’s bodyguard wrestled off Mugonza before an angry mob pounced on him.

He says the youths over powered the minister’s security details comprising two soldiers before thumping Mugonza severely. Kibuule says one of the guards opened fire in the air to disperse the mob that had help Mugonza on the ground for over 10 minutes.

Denis Tumuhairwe, a close confidant to Mugonza confirms the incident. He however, says Mugonza was thumped by the Minister’s escorts as they forced him to remove the “People Power” outfit.

Tumuhairwe claims that the soldiers grabbed Mugonza by the collar, removed his shoes before assaulting him with their gun-butts leaving him unconscious. He says Mugonza was only saved by boda boda riders who rushed him to hospital with bruises and blood oozing from his mouth and nose.

Andrew Mugonza told URN on phone this morning that he is nursing serious wounds and deep pain in the chest and limbs inflicted on him by the soldiers. He vows to open a case of assault against Minister Kasolo who is also the Kyotera County Member of Parliament for failing to reign in over his escorts as they assaulted him.

Kasolo has not yet commented as he couldn’t be reached by URN. His personal assistant told our reporter that the minister was attending an urgent meeting. This is not the first time an activist is grabbing a microphone from a top government officer.

In July 2014, city lawyer Andrew Karamagi grabbed a speech from the then, Attorney General the late Peter Nyobi at the opening of the new law year accusing him of embarrassing the legal profession.

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URN