Over 200 people arrested, 48 injured in Uganda demos

Apr 15, 2011, 9:20 GMT

Kampala - At least 220 people were arrested and 48 others injured in different parts of Uganda Thursday when police used tear gas and gunshots to stop political opposition-led protest walks against high prices, newspaper and Red Cross sources said Friday.

Opposition leader and runner-up in February presidential elections, Kizza Besigye was injured when police fired teargas and bullets to disperse crowds of people who were matching with him towards the city.

90 people including members of parliament were detained during the protests in Kampala while the police and the army rounded up 70 protesters in the eastern town of Jinja, The Daily Monitor newspaper reported.

The rest of the detainees are in cells in other northern towns where police clashed with the protesters, including Gulu in the north, the paper reported.

'We have submitted most of the files of the suspects to the resident state attorneys in different areas so that we can take them to court before the mandated 48 hours expires,' it quoted police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba as saying.

The suspects are being charged with various offences including alleged incitement to violence, disobeying lawful orders, blocking traffic flow and holding illegal assemblies.

Some 48 people were injured in the clashes including four who were hit by bullets and were rushed to hospital, according to the Uganda Red Cross.

The situation was relatively calm in and around Kampala Friday morning although opposition politicians have vowed that they will continue organizing the 'walk to work' protests.

Besigye declared that the elections were rigged and that he would stage protests against President Yoweri Museveni who has ruled the East African country since 1986 and who been steadfast in crushing any sign of dissent.

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