This is a statement released by the government about what took place on Thursday. Since it was written by the government, they glossed over the fact that, as illustrated by the picture, the police broke into Besigye’s vehicle and sprayed pepper spray and tear gas inside. Well, spray is a bit of a euphemism. They drenched the occupants. The US has expressed its concern over how Ugandan forces handled the situation.
Besigye sustained serious burns because of this, and was later cleared to go to Nairobi for treatment. There are serious questions of why he had to go to Nairobi for treatment, and why he could not/chose not to be treated here, but earlier, talks between the opposition and the government had been proposed to take place on Monday. Who knows whether that will happen now.
One sad irony of this is that the officer who smashed the car window graduated from UCU in 2006 with a degree in social work.
The situation is tenuous, and when Besigye returns, who knows what can happen. Please continue to pray for peace, wisdom, and appropriate restraint for all involved.
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