The Minister of Security, General Elly Tumwine has said that the security authorities are assessing and examining the violent events that took place this Wednesday and Thursday following the arrest of National Unity Platform presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine.
Speaking to the media on Friday, the minister made several statements that sparked controversy and public debate.
Tumwine mentioned that the security personnel have the right to shoot and kill protestors when attacked.
He said that he had no apologies for anybody who was killed while attacking security forces as they tried to put down protests that broke out on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Tumwine also said that the authorities in security were investigating whether or not the protestors in Kampala and other towns were armed with guns during the protests.
The minister said that the authorities were extremely concerned with the level of organization of the protests this week.
“We are investigating to see if some of the shooting was done by the rioters because they were very organized. They had all kinds of weapons on standby including machetes, hammers, tyres, knives etc.,” he said.
“How can you wish that Uganda breaks up? But I can assure you that Uganda will not be destabilized. They have openly demonstrated that they are just people who want to destabilize, burn the city, cause violence, cause death, this is who they are,” Tumwine said.
He urged Ugandans to be on the lookout and to choose wisely whether they want peace or violence. He advised Ugandans to avoid propaganda and the people that incite violence.
Tumwine also wondered why people were rioting because of the arrest of one person. He said that Kyagulanyi is not the first and will not be the last presidential candidate to be arrested if they break the law.
“He is just one person. There is no person that cannot be arrested, be it a minister, a judge or a religious leader,” he said.
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