Coronavirus: Ugandan MP 'arrested' for distributing food

A Ugandan opposition MP is being held by police for distributing food to his constituents over weekend in Mityana district, about 70km (45 miles) from the capital, Kampala, the Daily Monitor newspaper reports.

Francis Zaake, an independent MP, was arrested in his Mityana Municipality constituency for contravening a presidential directive on food distribution during the ongoing lockdown, Wamala region police spokesperson Rachel Kawala is quoted as saying

President Yoweri Museveni last week extended a nationwide coronavirus lockdown until 5 May. Restrictive measures imposed include closure of national borders, including Entebbe International Airport, to passenger travel, a dusk-to-dawn curfew and a ban on public transport.

The MP tweeted photos purporting to show security officers "breaking into his home".

He had also tweeted a photos of the food rations he had been distributing to his constituents.

The tormentors have broken into my home, they are breaking every door of my house searching to arrest me for the crime of sharing food with the starving people. Sad! pic.twitter.com/lBfu8E2NKd

— MP Zaake Francis Butebi (@ZaakeFrancis) April 19, 2020

I have been clandestinely giving out relief food items to my constituents, this, I will not stop doing. In the same spirit, today we have successfully shared more food items in Mityana.

It is my conviction that, we can still deal with starvation without thieving from the poor. pic.twitter.com/d2lOJIsfkh

— MP Zaake Francis Butebi (@ZaakeFrancis) April 19, 2020