One of the former Buganda riot suspects who were released from Luzira Prison early this month, is seeking for help from well-wishers to resume a normal life after close to three years in jail.
23 year old Mutyaba Bashir, a former boda boda cyclist is living on handouts from sympathizers in the Nateete main market.
Mutyaba was among the 25 youths who were arrested for allegedly burning down the Natete police station. This was during the September 10, 2009 riots that erupted when the Kabaka of Buganda was stopped from attending a youth event in Kayunga district.
Three years back, Mutyaba had a wife with two children, four year old Hussein Kafeero and Natyaba Aisha aged three.
Today, however, he is housed by his brother in Bulenga and lives a hopeless life with no wife. His two children of school going age, now live with their grandmother in Busujju in Mubende district.
Speaking in Luganda, Mutyaba says he wakes up in the morning and comes to Nateete market where an old woman gives him a cup of tea and if he is lucky another sympathizer will buy him lunch.
//Cue in: Nva ewaka...English translation…
Cue out:…someone on Sunday.”//
Mutyaba now speaks in past tense about what he owned. The motor cycle and a piece of land were all sold off as relatives sought for help from different people for his release.
Mutyaba says he was arrested four days after the riot took place at around 1:00pm at the Nateete market main entrance while on duty. He says he was beaten by police and was taken to the police station he allegedly burnt down. Together with other suspects, they were driven to Kibuye police station where they spent one night in the cell.
The next day the suspects were transferred to the former Rapid Response Unit in Kireka, where they spent one week reportedly being tortured. They were then taken to Luzira prison where life was not any simple due to the harsh feeding and sleeping conditions.
//Cue in: “After they arrested us…
Cue out:… save you.”//
Mutyaba says while he was in prison, he envied the former Vice President, Professor Gilbert Bukenya, who was in prison for a short while among other big shots, because they were released in due time.
He now appeals to government and well wishers to extend to them some financial help so as to start up small businesses to redeem their lives and their families.
//Cue in: “With all the time I have…
Cue out: …if its available.”//
Mutyaba calls upon the judiciary to spare time and listen to cases of hundreds of inmates he says are languishing in the Ugandan prisons some of whom have no cases to answer.
