Two police officers have been arrested on orders of President Museveni while others are on the run over alleged election irregularities in the recently concluded National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries in Isingiro District.
A senior police source said Assistant Superintendent of Police Silvano Mugisha, the officer in-charge of Kikagati Police Station in Isingiro District, and Corporal Abel Mucunguzi, the area crime intelligence officer, were arrested and transferred to Mbarara Regional Police command.
They were arrested following the President’s orders to the Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth-Ochola to detain and investigate two officers for their alleged participation in rigging the primaries.
The duo are expected to be transferred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters at Kibuli in Kampala City for interrogation.
The source said the suspects are accused of being behind the rigging that sparked violence that resulted in the killing of three people in Isingiro between September 10 and September 20.
Two people were shot dead as security personnel dispersed people protesting against election results in Bukanga in Isingiro District while another person was killed by a mob in an incident related to the elections. Advertisement
The source declined to give details of the offences against the detained officers, saying they were with CID headquarters.
The CID spokesperson, Mr Charles Twine, said the two officers were arrested by detectives from the Political and Electoral Offences Unit, but denied that they acted after President Museveni’s orders.
“The duo and others still at large are alleged to have participated in the election malpractice in Isingiro during the NRM primaries. The CID headquarters is investigating their cases to establish the extent of their culpability considering the fact that police isn’t supposed to be partial,” Mr Twine said yesterday.
Background
Rigging. The NRM electoral commission chairperson, Mr Tanga Odoi, cancelled the first elections in Isingiro North and Isingiro South due to irregularities.
In Isingiro North, supporters of Mr Ponsiano Mugyenyi accused polling officers of rigging for the incumbent, who is also the State minister for Animal industry, Mr Bright Rwamirama, an allegation he denied.
In Isingiro South, polling officers allegedly caused chaos that favoured the incumbent Alex Bakunda.Elections were repeated, but similar allegations came up again prompting the NRM chairperson, President Museveni, to intervene.
He visited the scenes and promised to take action against those behind the rigging.After the violence in the NRM primaries, President Museveni asked victims to give him facts so that he uses his constitutional powers to deal with the suspects.
“We should not allow crooks to pollute our massive force like you saw yesterday. I am done with crooks,” he said.
The President said he would help Mr Odoi with investigations.
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