Ugandan police arrest 45 people as they disperse protesters demanding lawmakers' release

Ugandan police said it had arrested 45 people as protests against the beating of detained lawmakers continued for a second day in the capital, Kampala.

Ugandan police fired tear gas to disperse a demonstration on Monday

Demonstrators were setting up bonfires and barricades on Kampala streets and police and military personnel were trying to remove the roadblocks.

Uganda police spokesperson Emilian Kayima said calm has returned but warned residents not to engage in riots as they are unlawful.

“Police and sister security agencies will continue to work together to secure everyone and to allow to give space for everyone to go about with their businesses uninterrupted. Close to 45 people have been arrested”, Kayima said.

Patrick Baraza is a resident of Kampala.

“What have we done, they are here telling us we are using orders from above. Who above? That is the very order they used when they damaged Bobi Wine (musician turned anti-government politician Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine). Bobi Wine was damaged beyond recognition. The president is there telling us that Bobi Wine shot his vehicle with bullets. When?” , he said.

Political tensions have been running high in Uganda since police arrested scores of people, including five opposition lawmakers, on suspicion of taking part in stoning a presidential convoy on August 13.

The incident happened during a campaign stop by President Yoweri Museveni for the ruling party candidate in a parliamentary by-election in the northern town of Gulu.

Two of the lawmakers were badly beaten by security forces while being detained, according to a lawyer for one of them. The government denies security personnel deliberately beat anyone.

Reuters