Kasese Municipality member of parliament Robert Centenary has expressed his dissatisfaction by the “shoot to kill” approach that was used by security operatives soldiers at the Omusinga’s palace over the weekend.
In his interview on NBS TV this morning Centenary stated that police should have used the usual tear gas and water cannon instead of the merciless shoot to kill approach that claimed lives of over 61 people including civilians.
Centenary also revealed that President Yoweri Museveni refused to recognize them as rightfully elected leaders of Kasese rather he describes them as thugs following NRM’s failure to win a single seat in Kasese district in the parliamentary elections. He claimed that the local leaders attempted to meet the president on the security issues in Kasese after the elections but the president showed little interest in their woes.
‘’When we met the president to discuss the crisis in Rwenzori, he started lecturing us on how Bahiima have built proper houses. He even gave us books. When we reminded him why were meeting him, he said he was tired and that meeting would be held at a later time”, he stated.
The Rwenzururu king Wesley Charles Mumbere was yesterday charged of murder and remanded until 13th of December. However, Centenary claims the murder charges do not relate with the Kasese unrest that took place over the weekend.
‘’ I don’t know how the king is involved in these clashes, the murder charges against him are not related to Kasese clashes,’’ he said.
The king was charged for the clashes that occurred in March following local council elections. The king allegedly stated that the charges were fabricated against him.
However the minister of internal affairs Gen. Jeje Odong described the weekend killings as a situation of self defence while ICT minister Hon. Frank Tumwebaze described the slain as combatants and goons because they possessed weapons and had allegedly killed over 41 policemen.