President Museveni has ordered the police management to punish two police commanders who led an operation in which chiefs of a Buganda clan, were teargassed in Mityana District.
Presidential hopeful Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, is also a member of the Mbogo Clan.
Police sources, who preferred anonymity for fear of retribution, told Daily Monitor that President Museveni gave an order to the Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth-Ochola to take action against the officers.
The chiefs of Mbogo clan were dispersed using teargas by the police as they convened at their ancestral site at Mugulu in Ziggoti Township to attend thanksgiving prayers for their leader, Mr Gajuule Kayiira Kasibante, on Saturday.
Mr Kasibante was holding a thanksgiving after he was appointed by Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga yesterday confirmed the President ordering the investigation. He, however, said he does not know the officers who are being investigated.
Mr Bob Kagarura, the commander for Wamala regional police, and Mr Alex Mwine, the Mityana District commander, were accused of leading the security team that dispersed the gathering that included retired Masaka Diocese Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa.
Katikkiro of Buganda Kingdom Charles Peter Mayiga yesterday met police commanders that visited the Buganda Kingdom headquarters at Mengo and asked them to punish the officers.
“The Katikkiro condemned human rights abuses by police officers and said the cases were surging. He asked the police to punish the officers that led the operation,” a statement on Katikkiro Mayiga’s social media platforms reads in part.
Police Political Commissar Asan Kasingye, who led the police delegation, apologised to the Buganda Kingdom for the incident and promised that they are to take action against the officers.
Since Monday, police commanders comprising director of Crime Intelligence Christopher Ddamulira, the director of Human Resource and Development, Brig Godfrey Golooba, and Kampala Metropolitan Police commander Moses Kafeero, have been visiting chiefs of Mbogo clan to deliver their apology over the incident.
Past incident – Police brutality. During the lock down to contain the spread of coronavirus, the two officers were also accused by Mityana Municipality legislator Francis Zaake of beating him after arresting him at his home in Mityana District, an allegation they denied.
The officers arrested him on allegations of violating presidential directives on distributing relief food to residents without following Ministry of Health guidelines.