Following a fiery protest against his prolonged detention, police in Hoima have finally released Mr Moses Aguuda, the aspiring Member of Parliament for West Division in Hoima City.
Mr Aguuda was released this afternoon (Tuesday) together with the aspiring Buliisa County Member of Parliament, Mr Godwin Angalia, Wiz Ken and Mr Twaha Musa among others.
Irate youth protesters this morning ran amok, lit up some objects and blockaded some streets demanding Mr Aguuda’s release citing detention beyond the constitutional 48 hours without being arraigned before the magistrate.
Mr Aguuda, who subscribes to People Power’s National Unity Platform (NUP) party, was on Sunday arrested together with Mr Angalia among others for allegedly flouting the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health to slow the spread of Covid-19.
The politicians were strolling Hoima City from door-to-door canvassing for votes for the forthcoming general polls when police rounded them up before detaining them at Hoima Central Police Station.
However, their continued detention sparked off anger among his supporters and sympathisers who took to Facebook with hashtag #FreeAguuda.
Despite this, police did not release him until today when Mr Aguuda’s supporters took to the streets setting ablaze some tyres and papyrus mats among others and blockading the roads demanding for the politicians’ release.
The youth painted some roads with “Free Aguuda.”
Police engaged in running battles with the youth protesters who were holding placards reading “We want justice for Aguuda” traversed various parts of the city including Fort Portal and Rukurato Roads among others.
Reinforced by UPDF’s Military Police, anti-riot police armed with sticks and batons fired teargas canisters and live ammunition into the air to diffuse the incensed demonstrators.
Armed with sticks, batons, rifles and sticks anti-riot police spent the entire day patrolling the streets of Hoima.
During the day-long patrol, eight people whose identities were not readily established by publication time were arrested.
The officer in charge of operations at Hoima police station, Mr Tom Mpabaisi, said that police were determined to arrest all those who participated in the day’s demonstration for disrupting traffic in the city and taking the law into their hands.
The police officer warned that such action will not be tolerated.
