By Kwame Ismail Nkurunziza
Desperate family members of former herbalist Sofia Namutebi aka Mama Fina’s late husband Major Muhammad Kigundu are appealing to authorities to release his children who were remanded to Kitalya and Kigo prison a few days ago, for allegedy supporting Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party.
Maj. Kiggundu, a former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) who had defected to the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) prior to his death, was killed in 2016 by unknown gunmen who shot him dead together with his driver Sgt. Steven Mukasa as they drove in his officials along Entebbe Road. He was on his way to take part in talk-show at a local radio station.
However, his orphans who include; Fatu Kiggundu and Muhamad Jihadi were arrested over allegation that Fatu, who is a professional motorcycle driver, was found with teargas canister and grenades, something his elder brother Ibrahim Kiggundu strongly refutes.
Ibrahim told this website that his brother was arrested on the election day, January 14th, 2021 at one of the polling stations in greater Kampala, where he had gone in the evening to witness the vote counting.
It is said Fatu, who was with his sister Muhamad Jihad, broke into wild celebrations when it became clear that his preferred candidate, National Unity Platform’s leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, was leading in their area and it is said that was when UPDF soldiers arrested them together with others.
Sources reveal that initially, it was Fatu who had been arrested but when his sister Jihadi followed him to find out why her brother was being arrested, she was thrown behind the bars too.
On January 19th, the two were paraded before the Makidye Military court and judge sent Fatu to Kigo prison while his sister Jihad was remanded to Kitalya prison.
Efforts by the family members to reach out to friends of the late army officer to intervene in the matter have since been futile.
Ibrahim now says his only hope is Gen. Katumba Wamala, whom he hopes will help them to see the fabricated charges that were brought against his siblings dropped.
According to some sections of the media, Amirah Muhammad, the mother of the two detainees, says she has tried to get in contact with her two jailed children but failed.
“I can no longer sleep and what hurts most is I that can’t even see my children. I tried to see them in prison and failed. Prison authorities can’t allow me. I had managed to talk to my daughter but a few minutes into the conversation and she hanged up the phone,” Amirah said.
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