Besigye addresses Kenyan press

Besigye addressing a press conference in Nairobi Hospital in Kenya yesterday

By Joseph Kariuki
and Agencies

OPPOSITION Forum for Democratic Change leader Dr. Kizza Besigye is steadily recovering in a Nairobi hospital.

Doctor Timothy Byakiika, leading a team of three other doctors, said Besigye was diagnosed with chemical injury to the eyes and chemical burns on various parts of the body.

He ruled out spinal and rib fracture as earlier reported in the media.
“It is true Besigye suffered severe chemical burns to the body and the eye. He has reasonable vision and is recovering,” Byakiika told journalists during a press conference at the hospital.

He said on Friday, Besigye was taken to the theatre and had his eye cleaned.

Byakiika said the doctors also checked Besigye’s injured hand and replaced the loose wire on the right ring finger. He was injured in the hand during the walk-to-work protests on April 14.

The doctors said Besigye might remain in hospital for four to five days as they monitor his condition.

Addressing journalists in hospital, Besigye appealed to his supporters not to revenge on Gilbert Bwana Arinaitwe, the plain-clothed security operative who smashed the windows of his four-wheel drive vehicle and sprayed pepper gas on him during his arrest on Thursday.

“I have heard reports that the Police officer is being hunted down for harm. I have contacted our people to make a statement that we have no retribution,” said Besigye, who was accompanied by family members and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) official Anne Mugisha.

Speaking with some difficulty, Besigye disputed claims that he ignited last Thursday’s protests that led to his beating.

“I obviously did not have gas or a spray on that day. As I have said, the guiding principle of the protests is non-violence,” Besigye said.

However, the family members and FDC officials asked the journalists to limit their questions to Besigye’s medical condition and blocked him from answering questions related to politics.

Mugisha said Besigye would answer all questions related to politics when he stabilises.