Ugandan opposition leader held
2005-11-14 19:20
Kampala - Ugandan police on Monday arrested a top opposition politician likely to stand against President Yoweri Museveni in next year's elections - less than a month after his return from exile, said officials.
Betty Kamya of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) said police surrounded the vehicle carrying Kizza Besigye after it arrived in Busega, about five kilometres west of Kampala, from a political rally in Mbarara.
She said: "He has been arrested."
But, hundreds of opposition supporters gathered near the centre of the capital to protest about his arrest and police started firing into the air to disperse them.
Besigye 'colluded with rebel groups'
Besigye, who unsuccessfully challenged Museveni in disputed 2001 presidential elections, fled Uganda for four years of exile, settling in South Africa, after the polls.
The president and other government officials had accused him of colluding with rebel groups to foment a coup.
He returned home on October 26 in an apparent bid to take advantage of Museveni's calls for reconciliation after this month's death in exile of former Ugandan leader Milton Obote, a foe of the president, who was granted a state funeral,nonetheless.
Museveni had said he would not become involved in the case of Besigye, who faced possible treason charges.
In addition to accusing Museveni of running a "dictatorship" and detaining political prisoners, Besigye had urged Uganda's fractured opposition to unite around a single candidate to oust the government in elections planned for March.
Observers believed Besigye, who led the Forum for Democratic Change, might be best placed to challenge Museveni.