23-29 May 2016

Contents

Compiled by Emma Allison Howie

1. Abduction of Opposition Members
2. Besigye Still in Prison

1. Abduction Of Opposition Members

Government-Owned Media

New Vision, May 25^th 2016 – Oulanyah rival abducted from his home

• Simon Tolit Akecha, who is contesting the declaration of Jacob Oulanyah the Deputy Speaker of Parliament as the winner of Omoro County MP seat has been abducted by unknown gunmen.
• Akecha is challenging Oulanyah’s re-election on grounds that he was declared the winner without actual results being published and that there was intimidation of voters.

Privately-Owned Media

The Daily Monitor, May 23^rd 2016 – ‘Kidnapped’ FDC leader found

• Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Vice Chairperson for youth Zeridah Kakayi has been found after she disappeared on May 11, a senior party official has said.
• Kakayi was waylaid by unknown assailants, forcefully bundled into an unidentified Ipsum vehicle before she was drugged and driven to unknown places by her assailants.  Ms Turinawe said Kakayi was then taken to Acholi sub-region in Northern Uganda where she was held for several days in a grass thatched house and tortured.
• At the press briefing, FDC officials reiterated the need for the unconditioned release of all FDC members in police cells along with Dr Kizza Besigye who is currently on remand at Luzira prison after he was charged with treason.

The Daily Monitor, May 29^th 2016 – My kidnappers want me to drop court case against Oulanyah, says Toolit

• Former Omoro County MP contestant in the February 18 election, Simon Toolit Akecha has said his recent ‘abduction’ was related to the election petition he filed in Court against his rival the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah.
• Mr Toolit went missing in the wee hours of Wednesday morning after three unknown gunmen allegedly abducted him from his home in African Quarters in Pece Division Gulu Municipality.
• The police and army earlier on Thursday denied any role in aiding the alleged kidnap of Toolit but rather promised to investigate it after the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change Party Members accused the state of being behind the abduction.

2. Besigye Still In Prison

Privately-Owned Media

The Daily Monitor, May 23^rd 2016 – Winnie Byanyima hits out at Judiciary over Besigye

• Ms Winnie Byanyima, wife to former Forum for Democratic Change party presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye has put government on notice over the life of her detained husband, warning that the police may try to gain access to Luzira prison to harm him.
• Ms Byanyima further claimed the government has acquired unnamed “toxic agents,” which could be used to harm political opponents and specifically accused the Judiciary of being “complicit in the abuse of State processes to persecute Besigye.”
• Ms Byanyima’s worries re-echo similar concerns raised by Dr Besigye when he told the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on May 18 that he fears for his life in prison but the magistrate shut him down half way his pleadings.
• Dr Besigye was charged with treason at the Nakawa court and remanded to Luzira prison until June.