The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has stormed Kampala Central Police Station and Secured the release of 11 opposition women members of parliament who were arrested earlier in the day by police while on their march to the Ministry of internal affairs to deliver a petition against continued police brutality on Opposition female MPs.
11 Women Members of the Parliament of opposition were planning to hold a peaceful march o, moving from Parliament to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to deliver a petition against police and other security agencies which often frustrate activities, in their respective districts, especially women’s day celebrations. But they barely moved an inch, as police pounced on them and stopped them from proceeding with the walk.
What followed was a scuffle and chaos as MPs were manhandled and their placards were confiscated. However female legislators gave police a hard time as some traded punches with the men in uniform.
Police overpowered them and arrested 11 of them who were bundled on waiting police trucks that speeded off to Kampala Central police station where they were detained.
Upon learning about the incident, the speaker of parliament Anita Among stormed CPS in full force and engaged police chiefs led by the Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Steven Tanui to secure the release of female lawmakers. Among asked Police chiefs to always go through the office of the speaker before arresting a member of parliament.
Within a few minutes, MPs were released unconditionally and the speaker Among led them back to parliament.
Led by Joyce Bagala the 11 female legislators dressed in black vowed not to relent from their campaign against police brutality.
In parliament, the situation was not any different as the leader of the opposition forced the deputy speaker Thomas Tayebwa to adjourn the house sitting prematurely as opposition MPs piled pressure on the government to account for police actions.
The minister of state Gen David Muhoozi condemned the arrest of legislators in front of the police gate and apologized on behalf of the police force.