Four Buganda Kingdom officials have been allowed inside Luzira Prison to meet the 27 suspects of the 2009 Buganda riots.
The officials include ministers Kabuuza Mukasa and Florence Bagunywa Nkalubo, youth mobiliser in the kingdom, Bruno Edwin Ssekubulwa and a Lukiiko member Elijah Kyobe. They have been joined by Rubaga North Parliamentary seat claimant, Moses Kasibante, who has also been allowed beyond the prison gates.
Driving a Suzuki Escudo registration number UAF 516R, the officials left Kasubi Royal Tombs in the morning and were received at Luzira by the prisons spokesperson Frank Baine.
Baine escorted the party to the office of the Kampala Extra region prisons commander, Zachary Ouko. Journalists were also allowed inside and are now at Ouko’s office.
Ouko told his visitors that as an institution, the Uganda Prisons Department has to give members of the public permission to visit inmates.
Nkalubo told Ouko that the two year detention has been very painful for the suspects adding that they have been denied justice.
The 27 youths from around the central region were arrested during the September 11, 2009 riots in and around Buganda following Kabaka Ronald Mutebi’s failed trip to Kayunga district. The Kabaka’s advance team led by Katikiro JB Walusimbi was blocked by police at River Ssezibwa sparking off riots.
A Uganda Radio Network reporter in Luzira says the Buganda Kingdom officials are being escorted to the Upper Prison where the suspects are being held. Journalists have, however, been barred from accessing the Upper Prisons facility, with Ouko arguing that the officials would come back and brief reporters.
Outside the main prison gate, about 40 youths who had escorted the Kingdom officials were blocked from entering Luzira, in what Baine called security concerns. The youths had first gathered at Kasubi Royal Tombs where Minister Nkalubo addressed them. At least 800,000 shillings was collected and the minister said it would be used to buy snacks for the suspects.
Earlier on Monday, Old Kampala Police Commander, Kitumwa Rusoke told the youths who had gathered at Kasubi that he would not allow processions from the area to Luzira Prison. The heavy police deployment appeared to have scared the youth who started to disperse, only to regroup when the Kingdom officials arrived.
