FDC party official Christopher Kibazanga has been released hours after police in Kasese raided his home early on Tuesday morning sparking off running battles between anti-riot police and his supporters.
After a stand-off that lasted over eight hours, Kibazanga was arrested together with 16 FDC supporters.
The former Busongora South Member of Parliament, who is also a brother to Rwenzururu king Charles Wesley Mumbere, was quizzed for over two hours at Kasese central police station and later released without any charge.
At least 42 other FDC supporters were arrested early on Tuesday and taken to Fort Portal where they were detained on charges of inciting election-related violence.
According to the western region police commander Wilson Kwanya, Kibazanga was picked from his home along Crescent Lane in Nyamwamba division of Kasese Municipality amidst resistance by his supporters.
Kwanya said that the former legislator and 14 others were released after police found that they had no case to answer in connection with election violence.
At the time of filing this report, URN could not get a comment from Kibazanga as he could not answer repeated phone calls.
The FDC official, who is leading the campaign for the party candidate Winfred Kiiza in the Kasese parliamentary by-election, had earlier resisted the arrest saying that the police had no mandate to invade his premises to arrest him without issuing him an arrest warrant.
Before his arrest police had running battles with the FDC supporters for almost nine hours, firing teargas and rubber bullets while protestors also pelted police with stones.
There is tension in the district as voters prepare to elect a new woman Member of Parliament on Thursday. FDC’s Kiiza and Rehema Muhindo of the ruling NRM party are the top contenders. Also in the race is Rosemary Masika, who is standing on the Democratic Party ticket.
