Arua security chiefs fired over campaign chaos

A number of security chiefs including the Regional Police Commander, District Police Commander and District Internal Security Officer (DISO) among others have been fired, the Nile Post has learnt.

Last week, chaos ensued in Arua town when Kassiano Wadri’s supporters allegedly attacked President Museveni’s convoy on the eve of the Arua municipality by-elections.

Over 30 people including Members of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi, Kassiano Wadri, Paul Mwiru and Gerard Karuhanga were later arrested and detained.

However, President Museveni has said in a statement that a number of security chiefs were sacked following the incident.

“The Regional and District Police Commanders, who should have anticipated the actions of these groups, since they had done the same in Jinja East and Bugiri, have been suspended. The DISO has also been removed,”Museveni said on Monday evening.

Museveni’s statement has blown off the lid on the unexpected transfer of Arua DPC Superintendent of Police Abas Ssenyonjo only hours to the polls.

In a mini- reshuffle involving only three officers and communicated by AIGP Moses Balimwoyo, the police director in charge of human resource, SP Ssenyonjo was transferred to Masaka before being replaced by Superintendent of Police Henry Kintu who had been in Masaka by then.

The West Nile Region RPC Jonathan Musinguzi was also quietly shown the exit from Arua.

The chaos in Arua allegedly saw one of vehicles in Museveni’s convoy was stoned and the hind screen smashed.

During the fracas, Kyagulanyi’s driver, Yasin Kawuma was shot dead in his Tundra vehicle and others sustained injuries.

Museveni praises security forces

However, the president has praised security forces for handling the chaos meticulously and saved a number of people who could have died if it had been messed up.

“If you do not see these as problems, then you are a fascist,”Museveni said in hi statement.

“The Security forces must be commended because they saved mass deaths by dispersing these misguided people without using rifle fire, considering the fact that many of them were not equipped for anti- riot duties notwithstanding.”

Museveni however said he is personally investigating the circumstances which Kawuma and the people admitted in hospitals got injured in the fracas.

The president insisted that Kyagulanyi and Wadri are directly responsible for the chaos and its outcome.

“To show the bad faith of Bobi Wine and Zaake, they were changing hotels- from Hotel Royale to Pacific Hotel etc. Why were they hiding?”

He added, “Kassiano Wadri, on the other hand, who should not have been in the company of such violent people, did not change residences and did not engage in hand to hand combat with security forces, from the reports I got. “