Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire has denied social media reports that he clashed with President Yoweri Museveni over the cancelation of a police bond he had allegedly secured for jailed Labour Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana.
Earlier today, it was alleged that when Museveni ordered for the cancelation of the bond, Otafiire called the president asking him to set Rukutana free, but before he could finish his explanation, the Commander-in-Chief of UPDF just hung up on him.
In a telephone interview with one of the local New websites, the Minister of East African Community Affairs termed the claims as fake news.
“It is good they have written it and it is good for him (president) to read and see how they are concocting things because I haven’t spoken with him over two weeks. It is true I went to Mbarara to visit Rukutana and we joked and he narrated to me how the whole saga unfolded and he even denies that he ever shot at any person. I even never asked for police to grant him bond because I know investigations were ongoing. So just treat whatever is on social media as fake” Gen. Otafiire said.
President Museveni earlier today said Rukutana will face the courts of law over last week’s violence in Rushenyi county during the NRM primaries.
Rukutana was arrested on Saturday by police in Ntungamo together with his three escorts following a shooting incident in Ruhama, Ntungamo district in which one person was seriously injured and a motor vehicle damaged during the NRM primaries a day before.
“The victim was rushed to hospital in critical condition while the suspects are in detention on charges of inciting violence, attempted murder by shooting and malicious damage,” Polly Namaye, the Deputy Police Spokesperson said.
In his statement on Monday, Museveni disclosed that Rukutuna will be prosecuted for the offences he committed.
“The cheating in the NRM Primaries is over. Those who beat People, like in Bukono, are all in jail or on the run. Minister Rukutana is in jail and will be prosecuted. They will be fully accountable with robust charges: assault, attempted murder, murder etc,” The President said.
According to the president, the NRM members he described as “shallow crooks” still think they can bribe, intimidate, assault or alter results of the obvious that was witnessed by hundreds by lining up.
“This is an incredible shallowness,” he added.
In a video that made rounds on social media over the weekend, Rukutana is seen picking an AK47 rifle from his police guard and advancing towards a car occupied by unidentified people.
The guard then quickly removes the magazine from the gun, preventing the minister from shooting people.
The incident followed unprecedented violence in Rubaare (the minister’s home town) where Rukutana is battling Naome Kabasharira in the Rushenyi NRM MP primaries.
Voting in some parts of Rushenyi, Ntungamo District, Western Uganda, were on Friday postponed over violence.
However, Rukutana defended himself saying that he was forced to pick a gun from his guard to to protect himself from armed people.
But his rivals say he was bribing people at his home which they raided to collect evidence.
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