OUGANDA: WALK TO WORK CAMPAIGN: Live updates

1730 EAT: The magistrate has insisted and grants Maj. Rubaramira Ruranga a bail by force.  Maj. RubaramiraandNandala Mafabi had refused to apply for bail saying it was a waste of time as they were arrested on their way to Kampala. Court bursts out in laughter. Nandala Mafabi next in dock.

1720 EAT: Kampala Lord Mayor-elect Erias Lukwago has been released on interim bail by Makindye magistrate’s court where he was charged with the alleged traffic offence of failure to comply with lawful orders and direction  of police officer in uniform. The outgoing Kampala Central MP denied the charges and remained steadfast in his solidarity with the walk to work campaign. The same court also released Forum for Democratic Change vice president Salaam Musumba and Mr Asuman Odaka who were charged with allegedly failing to obey lawful orders contrary to the Penal Code Act.

1630 EAT: Mukono North member of Parliament, Betty Namboze, has been denied bail by Mukono Grade One magistrate Ruth Nabasa. Ms Nambooze was charged with allegedly participating in a riotous assembly. The MP was walking to work in the campaign against high fuel prices and rising cost of living when she was arrested this morning at Bugujju trading centre just outside Mukono town.
1610 EAT: People traveling in and out of Lugazi town going to work found it hard after all taxi and Bodaboda cyclists refused to operate in support of walk to work campaign. These people especially those going to Kampala very early in the morning were forced to get back to their homes, while others decided to walk, saying that taxis will find them on the way,as they also show solidarity to the campaign.

1510 EAT: Police has fired teargas and live bullets at Kampala’s Makindye Court to disperse a crowd that has converged to protest the arrest of opposition politicians. Outgoing Kampala Central member of Parliament, Erias Lukwago, who is also the Lord Mayor-elect for Kampala, along with Forum for Democratic Change vice president, Salaam Musumba, have been brought to Makindye Magistrate’s Court where it is believed they are going to be charged cor allegedly committing an, as yet, unknown offence. The politicians are among a large number of opposition politicians who were arrested this morning in a police swoop for participating in the walk-to-work campaign, a public protest against high fuel prices and the rising cost of living.

1500 EAT: The army has taken over Masaka town. Business came to a standstill in Masaka Town as police fought demonstrators that had chosen to walk to work on Thursday, April 14, 2011. It all started when about ten boda boda riders in Nyendo, (a Katwe-like suburb of Masaka) decided to push their bikes towards Masaka’s business main centre across Nakaiba Swamp. What appeared to be a small group however snowballed into a very big crowd that kept police confused by splitting into some five or so groups and taking different roots on different streets! Hundreds of people meanwhile abandoned their shops and lined up the streets to watch. The demonstrators kept on shouting that they were fed up with the ever increasing fuel prices.

1420 EAT: Daily Monitor correspondent in Masaka, Mr Issa Aliga, has been assaulted by UPDF soldiers who descended on the streets of Masaka town at about 2.00 p.m. after the police appeared to be failing to control the rampaging crowds. A military police officer hit Mr Aliga on the head with a big stick as he attempted to take pictures of the soldiers along Kampala Road. The soldiers descended on Mr Aliga, grabbed his camera and went away with it. Mr Aliga, who says he is bleeding from his wounds,  is recording statement at Masaka Police.

1256 EAT: Betty Nambooze blocked from leaving Lugazi. She was walking to Mukono. The Mukono-Jinja highway has become impassable

1242 EAT: Opposition leader Dr Kiiza Besigye has been taken to Kampala hospital in Kololo

1238 EAT: Dr Besigye has been shot in the right hand after soldiers, who have taken over from police, opened fire. People pleading that they stop shooting

1220 EAT: Columns of heavily armed soldiers deploy in Kalerwe as situation gets out of hand with crowds join wal to work protests

1215 EAT: Besigye pulls out of trench, starts walking afresh: Retired UPDF Colonel and former personal physician to President Museveni is out of the trench and trekking with many supporters accompanying him, reports John Njoroge. The former Inter-Party Cooperation presidential flag bearer first sat under a tree at Kasangati health centre, before embarking on a second phase of the walk he began from his home at 6:30am on Thursday. More details follow shortly

1210 EAT: Kampala mayor-elect Erias Lukwago, Kitgum woman MP Beatrice Anywar, Kyadondo south MP Issa Kikungwe have been arrested. Kikungwe and Anywar are currently being taken to Entebbe magistrate court. One woman is reportedly shot dead by police as they attempted to quell a “walk-to-walk”demo in Kajansi, along Entebbe road.

1153 EAT: Police in Lugazi has taken siege of the tax park after drivers’ turned rowdy in protest of high prices of fuel and other commodities. Commotion started as tax drivers attempted to join a group of about 200 “walk-to-work” demonstrators, forcing police to act with force.

1125 EAT: FDC leaders Nandala Mafabi, Margaret Wokuri and Ann Mugisha have been arrested and taken to Jinja Road Police Station, according to Busongola South MP, Christopher Kibazanga.

1105 EAT: Police in Masaka is reported to be engaged in running battles with the motorcyclists who are trying to march in the town in protest of high prices for fuel and other commodities.

The motorcyclists are reported to have destroyed the police patral vehicle which was pursuing them, forcing the force use teargas and live bullets. Our reporter in Masaka says the crowd of about 300 youth with no substantive leadership is now engaged in running battles with police in the town….more to follow.

1053 EAT: Vigilantes barricade access to Kasangati police station. Chaos and heavy shooting still ongoing as more supporters join to block Dr Besigye’s arrest by police.

1043 EAT: A group of men dressed in the uniform of Uganda Prisons arrive at the chaotic scene in Kasangati, says our reporter John Njoroge. It is unclear if they are prison warders since they ordinarily do not take part in crowd control or arresting suspects, unless they are fleeing prisoners.

Source: Daily Monitor, Posted  Thursday, April 14 2011 at 17:20