Dr Besigye speaks out on life in detention

ALBERT TUMWINE | Thursday, March 24   2016 | The Monitor

KAMPALA- Four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye has condemned the police’s continued house-arrest, describing it as “disabling and extremely stressful.” He however says he has prepared his mind to face any situation.

Dr Besigye who has been under house-arrest since the announcement of the February 18 presidential election results says in a six-minute video clip, posted on his social media accounts, that he will not give up on his purpose of causing change in the leadership of this country.

 Stressed

“It is, of course extremely stressful to be in detention that is undefined, that one does not know when it will end, that has no reason, that is complete blatant violation of one’s rights. It is very annoying and disabling,” says Dr Besigye in the video clip.

The video titled, “32 Days: My life in illegal detention” shows Dr Besigye seated at a veranda of his Kasangati home speaking about his experience and displeasure during his house arrest which authorities say is intended to ensure public order.

Dr Besigye who ran a campaign of defiance however does not talk about defiance in the clip. The police have said they promise to keep him under house-arrest until he drops the “defiance talk.”

Disabled

“There are very many things that I would be doing at this particular time but which I have been completely disabled from doing,” he says in the video.

He adds that the most regrettable is that he couldn’t assemble enough evidence to challenge the election results in which president Museveni was declared winner with 60.7 per cent.

“Most important, we couldn’t assemble as we had wanted all the evidence as quickly as we needed to, regarding the election and the scandalous announcement by the Electoral Commission of somebody who had not won an election, it’s been very frustrating that we have been sitting here and seeing the injustice being perpetuated,” says Dr Besigye.

Ready

The FDC leader, in a rather humorous manner however said he is adaptable and is not bothered by police’s routine detentions.

“I am fairly adaptable, I am quite prepared for all kinds of situations and even when they take me to the police cells, I never start pitying myself, I even relax myself and even take a deep sleep on the cement floors of police,” says Dr Besigye with a smile on his face.

Dr Besigye says that he now uses his time at his home as much as he can to read books.

He also says that he spends time attending to his visitors and delegating his duties that he would be conducting had he not been under detention.

No turning back

The video recording ends with Dr Besigye expressing hope  that the independent audit into the election will be achieved, saying that should it fail, he will turn to his supporters.

“We have demanded for an audit of the election which we believe will confirm our victory, if they [government] don’t cooperate we will go ahead and seek to enforce using and relying on our supporters to support processes that will be aiming at serving them as mandated and challenging the illegitimate government that Mr Museveni would be trying to form out of this election.

So, definitely the struggle will continue until the people of Uganda get what they want, are led the way they decide and by a person they decide. We are not turning back, the struggle must go on,” says Dr Besigye.