Uganda’s Minister of Internal Security, Elly Tumwine, has backed police action after 37 people were killed on Wednesday and Thursday following clashes with supporters of opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine.
In a media briefing, Mr Tumwine said: “Police have a right to shoot you and kill you if you reach a certain level of violence. Can I repeat? Police have a right to shoot you and you die for nothing.”
Bobi Wine appeared in court on Friday and has been released on bail after being charged with spreading coronavirus.
He has been accused of failing to adhere to health measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus while campaigning for next year’s election.
Tumwine also clarified why plain-clothed people without security uniforms were seen shooting at members of the public in videos now making rounds on social media.
This was during countrywide demonstration by supporters of NUP party leader Robert Kyagulanyi who were protesting his arrest in Luuka District on Wednesday this week.
While addressing journalists in Kampala on Friday, Tumwine revealed that they had information that some of these groups were trying to acquire guns to kill people during the chaos in pre-planned operations.
He meanwhile says they are yet to establish who actually shot at people and under what circumstances.
“We are yet to establish those who actually shot them and under what circumstances. That’s a matter of investigation because we had information that some of these groups were trying to acquire guns so that they kill people in such a Kavuyo (chaos), pre-planned. That information was also available. About why there were people looking like civilians with guns, when you want to catch a thief sometimes you behave like a thief because all those are just tactics” Gen. Elly Tumwine.