How govt made U-turn on Bobi wine treatment abroad

Only hours after blocking him from travelling abroad for treatment, government made a u-turn and allowed Kyadondo East Member of Parliament, Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine to travel abroad for treatment.

On Thursday evening, Bobi Wine, who had been scheduled to fly out of the country to seek specialized treatment for injuries inflicted on him during his arrest and subsequent detention by the security forces in Arua, was also blocked at the airport by security from leaving.

According to his brother, the legislator cum singer had been scheduled to fly to a USA hospital for further examination on the body organs and hip that had been injured during his arrest by security forces.

However, on reaching the airport, the singer who was being wheeled on a stretcher by medics was stopped from continuing with his intended journey by police that had earlier deployed heavily at the airport.

He was later put into the police ambulance and driven to Kiruddu government hospital.

In a statement, police justified the blockade saying the lawmaker had been taken to hospital for examination over the torture allegations on him.

While in Kiruddu, Kyagulanyi reportedly locked himself in one of the rooms and refused any medics from examining him for he had not consented to the move by government.

Meanwhile on Friday morning, some parts of Kampala including Kisekka market and Kamwokya were rocked by demonstrations by supporters over the legislator’s blockade.

These were however quelled by police and the military.

U-turn

Meanwhile, only hours after, government made a u-turn and allowed Kyagulanyi proceed with his journey to the US for further examination.

In a statement, police said on August 23,they were instructed by the Director Public Prosecutions to investigate torture allegations brought to his office by the Uganda Law Society prompting police to open up a general inquiry file to commence investigations.

They said the investigations required a close medication examination of the alleged torture victim as close as possible to the date to the commission of the offence by government medical experts.

According to police, this was the basis of blocking the lawmaker from travelling abroad for treatment on Thursday.

“Now that he has been examined by the medical team of experts at Mulago National Referral Hospital (Kiruddu complex), the Uganda Police has allowed him leave the medical facility,” police said in a statement on Friday evening.

He would later fly out of the country to the US for further treatment.

Kyagulanyi was among the 34 people including fellow legislators Gerald Karuhanga,Paul Mwiru,Kassiano Wadri and Francis Zaake arrested by security forces on August 13 in Arua, due to fracas that saw the presidential convoy allegedly stoned.

The group claimed they had been tortured by security forces during the arrest.

A number of them appeared in court where they were charged with treason for trying to harm the president being aided by crutches to move whereas others were limping.