Friday, April 22, 2011

Besigye Remanded in Custody

Uganda's magistrate’s court in Kampala remanded the country's main opposition leader in custody until next week, following his arrest early Thursday. Besigye had agreed to pleas by local elders that he travel by car to avoid further clashes with the police and the military. But the crowd marching beside his car swelled, and he got out of his vehicle and started walking, sparking his arrest.
 
Justine Atukwasa, the presiding magistrate, denied bail to Kizza Besigye, saying that the court didn't have time to evaluate his application for bail.  She ruled that Besigye's bail application will be heard on the 27th of April.
 
The opposition leader, who was charged with holding an unauthorized assembly, was granted bail on two previous occasions since last week. He has been urging protesters to walk to work from their homes twice a week to push the government to address the issue of soaring food and fuel prices. 
 
Uganda's national statistics body said last month that food prices had increased by at least 29% in March, while inflation accelerated to 11% from 6.4% the previous month.

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