Drama ensued this morning as some members of the opposition and supporters of Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake tried to catch up with Police convoy that was transporting the legislator from the airport to his home.
Last evening, police released a statement indicating that only family members would be allowed at the airport to welcome Zaake from India where he has spent over a month receiving specialized treatment after allegations of torture by security operatives during the August 13th Arua debacle.
Zaake got a spinal injury from the alleged torture and was allowed to leave the country, and seek specialized treatment in India, while his Kyadondo East counterpart who seems to have fully recovered, went to the US.
Early this morning, police whisked hon. Zaake Butebi from Entebbe to Mityana, shortly after his arrival at the Airport. There was talk of a decoy police convoy that some opposition figures and his supporters followed, thinking he was actually in one of the cars, only to be disappointed.
According to his lawyer, Asuman Basaalirwa, Zaake landed at Entebbe International Airport at 7.40 am this morning aboard Jumbo Jet airlines from India. However, Police denied his wife, Bridget Namirembe and Basalirwa who were waiting for him in the VIP Lounge a chance to receive him.
Instead, the officers drove Zaake off their vehicles, leaving Basaalirwa and the MP’s wife behind.
Namirembe says she was surprised by actions of the police since they had allowed that family members pick their person. She wondered why Police blocked them.
Hon. Basalirwa condemned police’s actions. He says they had organized prayers for Zaake in Mityana. Prior to his travel to India, Zaake was accused of escaping from police custody. The accusation was sounded by President Yoweri Museveni, who said he is a wanted man.