By Kizito Moses Buule
The former youth leader for the central region and Mukono district Ronnie Rwigyema has appealed to the Director for Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and Presidential advisor for security Gen. Salim Saleh Akandwanaho to prevail on the president to extend pardon to politicians detained following incidents that preceded parliamentary by elections for Arua Municipality.
Several members of parliament and community members were arrested following an incident in which a vehicle in the presidential motorcade was pelted leading to shattering of its rear screen.
In the ensuing scuffle, the driver of a car belonging to Kyadondo East member of parliament Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine, was shot dead. The deceased identified as Yasin Kawuma was driving Hon. Kyagulanyi’s double cabin pick up.
In his appeal, Rwigyema condemned the insolence, indiscipline and primitive actions that characterized the final days of politicking ahead of the elections, and the subsequent death of Kawuma, all leading to arrest of the parliamentarians.
According to Rwigyema, there is room for turning the detained Ugandans into law abiding citizens once given the opportunity through the presidential pardon as was the case when Gen Saleh bailed out Aine, the youth who misconducted himself while campaigning for Patrick Amama Mbabazi’s ‘Go Forward’ campaign team.
“What transpired was triggered off by the unprecedented tolerance of the NRM leadership and President Museveni in particular, which many times have been misinterpreted for weakness and often abused”, he observed.
Rwigyema noted that in the best interest of the unquestioned tradition of all-round accommodation by the ruling party, amnesty should be extended to the detained people to give further opportunity to show the world that the leadership maintains it.
He also suggested that a non biased inquiry be mounted to identify members of the security forces that led to the death of Kawuma and occasioning injury to the parliamentarians and all those arrested during and after the scuffle.
He also suggested that on being pardoned and saved from prosecution, they should be placed under surveillance, study and monitoring to ensure non-indulgence in similar actions in future.
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