Police have defended the continued siege at former presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, also know as Bobi Wine’s home as being for security reasons.
“We are still having presence at his home and we are doing it for security reasons,” Police spokesperson, Kituuma Rusoke told journalists on Monday.
Since the January, 14 elections in which he lost to the incumbent, President Museveni, security has laid siege at Kyagulanyi’s home in Magere in Wakiso district.
Kyagulanyi’s wife, Barbra Itungo has in the past reported the home being broken into and family members, herself inclusive, being assaulted by the army.
The opposition leader recently stated that neither he nor his family has been allowed access to the residence since an earlier incident on January 23, when he alleges the house was broken into and vandalised, and his wife, Barbie Itungo Kyagulanyi, was attacked.
He said the family has been unable to assess the damage or account for items and documents allegedly seized during that initial raid.
Activists have questioned the continued presence of security at Kyagulanyi’s home.
When asked on whether there is a charge against Kyagulanyi, the police spokesperson said for now there is no charge, but said the siege is for security reasons.
“If Kaygulanyi commits a very particular offence, we will certainly invite him to police or take him to court but the presence at his home is in the interest of the security of this country,”Rusoke said.
He however described the siege as merely "deployments around Kyagulanyis home" that he said are meant for security interests.
The Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi recently said security presence at Kyagulanyi’s home is intended to prevent the premises from being used as “a hub for public disorder.”
According to Baryomunsi, the deployment is a matter of access control, particularly in the absence of the homeowner.
“When the head of the home is not there, you don’t want the whole crowd of Ugandans to converge there. Therefore, there is some access control, but it is harmless,” he said.
Baryomunsi’s position was later echoed by the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, David Muhoozi, who dismissed claims that Kyagulanyi’s residence had been turned into a prison.
“A home can only be deemed a prison if it is gazetted and has people occupying it. Kyagulanyi himself is not home,” he said, adding that if the concern was about inconvenience caused by security presence, “such issues can be ironed out.”
