Prominent dissident Kizza Besigye was placed under house arrest after criticizing Uganda’s economic crisis

Madrid, May 12. (Europe Press) –

Ugandan security forces placed prominent dissident Kizza Besigye under house arrest on Thursday. He has run for president on four occasions and they were all defeated by the incumbent president, Yoweri Museveni, after calling on residents to demonstrate against the rising cost of living in the African nation.

Besigye addressed the press from his home in Kasangati, in Wakiso district, an act attended by Kampala Mayor Arias Lukwago, with posters reading “We can’t breathe, reduce the cost of living” and “Move now not succession”, alluding to the possibility that His son replaces Museveni.

The opponent, who leads the transitional popular pressure group, tried to leave his residence, although dozens of agents intercepted him and sent him back to his home, according to the Ugandan newspaper, “Daily Monitor”. The security forces have also strengthened their presence in the area.

He had previously criticized the economic situation in the country and stressed that “there is a republic of cassava and a republic of bread.” “We must get the money back so that the cassava republic has something to eat,” he said before calling for the government to cut taxes on basic products.

“Here in Kasingati, some police officers are colluding with thieves to steal license plates. Sometimes people who steal their cell phones are left behind and when you call them, they ask for 100,000 shillings (about 27 euros). That’s how bad it is.” He denounced before saying he was willing to die to improve the residents’ quality of life.

In October 2021, the authorities dropped the treason charge against Besigye for his decision to declare himself president after the 2016 elections. The opponent, who came second in the elections, denounced rigging the results through bribes to voters. The intervention of the security forces, the absence of transparency and the impartiality of the electoral college.

Besigye, who was already indicted for treason in 2005 – the charges were also dropped – chose not to go to the polls in January 2021, with opposition leader Robert Kyogulani also claiming victory and denouncing fraud. Museveni, who rejects the criticism and remains in office.