Brigadier Richard Kalemire, the UPDF spokesperson says Kale Kayihura is in good shape, perfect health and accessible to his family and lawyers despite media reports that former policeman was ill and had asked to seek treatment abroad.
“Kale is our General and we take good care of our Generals. His welfare is our priority. That is why I told those media [Bukedde] people stop writing bad things about him,” Karemire said.
Kayihura is currently being detained at Makindye Military Barracks living in the house of the barracks commandant. He has 24-hour military surveillance and is allowed to watch television, read newspapers and step out only to the verandah of the house.
High profile visitors
According to our exclusive sources, Kayihura has received a number of high profile visitors including General Caleb Akandwanaho alias Salim Saleh with an objective to broker a deal with the government that would see Kayihura regain his freedom.
“He does not want to talk to anyone other than the President,” our sources revealed implying that the Kayihura-Saleh meeting did not yield any positive results.
Although he was arrested alongside other high ranking police officers that he worked closely with such as Herbert Muhangi, Col Atwooki Ndahura, Kayihura is being held alone.
No interrogation or statement yet Hon. Elly Karuhanga, a senior partner at Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA), the law firm representing Kayihura say government had neither preferred any charges against their client nor recorded a statement about his arrest.
“It is not true that the general has been interrogated. As a matter of fact, he hasn’t even recorded an ink of statement yet. He does not know why he is being held,”
Karuhanga said.
Karuhanga further revealed that as a soldier, Kayihura is allowed to exercise, read books and watch television adding that the General was angry by how the local media have covered stories surrounding his arrest.
“The media has mastered the smear campaign against Kayihura. He has been charged with murder, espionage, treason, kidnaps among other heinous crimes when the courts have not charged him with any,” he added.
Despite his irregular detention, Karuhanga said that his client has not instructed the firm to apply for habeas corpus – a constitutional provision that a person arrested but not charged within 48 hours can walk free.
