Besigye Arrested Attempting to Resume Walk-To-Work Protests over Commodity Prices

Security forces have arrested opposition figure Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye as he attempted to walk to town in protest of increasing commodity prices.

Besigye was intercepted by police on Thursday morning outside his home in Kasangati, Wakiso district.

He is allegedly protesting against high prices and alleged “political succession” a replica of the infamous walk-to-work riots.

The Walk to Work protests occurred in April 2011, as a reaction to the high cost of living.

The protests took place following the presidential elections in February 2011, and involved several defeated opposition candidates led by Besigye.

On Thursday, Besigye made an attempt to resurrect the infamous riots when he tried to leave his home on foot only to be intercepted and arrested.

Besigye, who was in the company of Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, was earlier stopped from leaving his home by security forces that had deployed heavily at his home in Kasangati.

He had spoken about the skyrocketing prices of fuel and other essential services in his Eid message terming it “an unprecedented economic hardship”.