Eight members of Crane Performers arrested for insulting Museveni

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  At least eight members of Crane Performers entertainment group were put in Police custody for allegedly insulting President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as he delivered a speech as former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi celebrated 50 years of his marriage to Jacqueline Mbabazi on Saturday.

It is alleged that as Museveni was addressing Mbabazi’s guests at around 11pm at Serena Hotel Kampala, members of the Crane Performers allegedly insulted him in Runyankole for, reportedly, speaking for too long.

The words in Runyankole, according to security sources were ‘Rutabandana Waturusya Rugahamuzindaro’ loosely translated as “over speaker, we are tired, leave the microphone”.

Senior security sources said that the voices shocked very many people and they turned to see the people who were insulting Museveni.

As everyone was wondering who were the people insulting the President, Lieutenant Tonny Komakech, a member of Special Forces Command (SFC) which guards Museveni said he had seen the Crane Performers abusing the fountain of honor.

“Immediately, security rounded up Crane Performers as suspects who had insulted the President. Among the suspects was the group’s director Gordon Kayovu,” sources said.

Other members of Crane Performers that were arrested and taken to Kampala Central Police Station include; Edward Tugume 37, David Muvunyi 47, Walter Oleng 38, Simon Bebwa 27, Paul Ruduli, and Tonny Okello.

A case file on reference CPS K’LA CRB 614/2024 was opened on Sunday where charges of insulting the person of the President were preferred against the suspects. “We recorded the statements on Sunday from the suspects and witnesses. They were interviewed in the presence of SFC,” sources said.

Patrick Onyango, the Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson said he had not been briefed about anything related to insulting the person of the President. However, sources said the Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS) was invited to profile and fingerprint the suspects at CPS.

“It was a tense situation as everything was being done or directed by SFC. Whatever Police did was also recorded by SFC. It was established that all the arrested suspects were in possession of microphones at the time of the occurrence,” sources said.

However, sources said a directive has since been given that the suspects should be released on police bond since the group’s director Gordon Kayovu is a known NRM diehard.

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