By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Today, a team of senior officers led by AIGP Asan Kasingye, Police’s Chief Political Commissar, paid an official visit to the Katikkiro of Buganda, Owekitibwa Charles Peter Mayiga at his office in Bulange Mengo, to brief him on what happened in Mugulu Ssingo during the thanksgiving ceremony of Omutaka Gajule Kayira Kasibante, the head of the Mbogo clan.
Police also revealed that they wanted to use this visit to apologize to him (Katikiro), the people of Buganda and members of the Mbogo clan for the operational ‘lapse’ and disruption of the Mbogo clan thanksgiving ceremony last week by the territorial police.
In his address, Charles Peter Mayiga asked police authorities to punish accordingly, the Mityana district police commander, Alex Mwine Mukono for disrespecting the religious and traditional believes of the Catholic Church and Buganda Kingdom respectively when he raided a thanksgiving ceremony.
The Mbogo Clan head, Kayiira Gajuule had invited Bishop Emeritus John Baptist Kaggwa, the retired Bishop of Masaka Diocese to grace the thanksgiving ceremony when anti-riot police stormed the area and sprayed teargas and fired live bullets to disperse the congregation.
This incident has since drawn widespread criticism from both Buganda kingdom loyalists who have since marched to Bulange Mengo demanding an apology from the Police and the public condemning police actions against unarmed civilians.
On Tuesday this week, Police were forced to use teargas and live bullets to disperse a group of Buganda loyalists at Mityana municipality protesting the incident and demanding that District Police Commander, Alex Mwine Mukono unconditionally releases all the motorcycles he confiscated during the raid.
Mayiga, while accepting the apology from the police chiefs on behalf of the IGP noted that it is disgraceful for a police officer especially not to understand that a clan ancestral home is like a place of worship, adding that acts of Mukono disrespected not only the cultural rites but also religious beliefs of the public, thus called for disciplinary action against the commander that disrupted the clan function.
In the same vein, Mayiga also warned the police force against acting violently towards members of the public by mercilessly beating, tear-gassing and shooting civilians saying such acts of violence that are fast becoming rampant, damage the reputation of the police force. Mayiga further urged the police force to rectify its code of conduct in general and start acting more professionally and ethically.
Asan Kasingye the political commissar of police who appeared alongside a team of police chiefs including Moses Kafeero the Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson presented their apology on behalf of IGP Martin Okoth and admitted that police acted thoughtlessly when they fired teargas at the religious and cultural event.
Kasingye promised to deliver Mayiga’s message to the IGP to punish Mityana police boss, saying he is optimistic action will be taken.
Kasingye reiterated police’s resolve to end such incidents through dialogue and peaceful means.
