WAKISO – Wakiso district chairman Matia Lwanga Bwanika has been summoned by the Police’s Criminal Investigations Department at Kibuli, Kampala, to explain allegations of promoting sectarianism and threatening violence when he attempted to stop illegal sand mining on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe Municipality recently.
Last month, a video produced by broadcast media, which later went viral on social media, showed Bwanika confronting alleged proprietors of the machinery that mines sand on the lake shores and seemingly warning them that he would rally the residents to attack them because they are non-Baganda.
And now in an October 10 letter signed by Benard Kiirya Sisse on behalf of CID Director Grace Akullo, Bwanika is wanted at the CID headquarters in Kibuli on Tuesday to answer the charges.
Police spokesperson Emilian Kayima asked Mr. Bwanika should go armed with all the evidence that sand mining in the lake is promoted by senior government officials and clarify that his attacks are not aimed at a particular tribe.
Bwanika on Monday confirmed the summons, which he said are the work of a mafia intended to make him keep quiet.
“I can’t imagine police failing to stop those who are illegally mining sand in Lake Victoria but instead summon me who is attempting to stop an illegality. Quiet despicable for what would be a national force to work for the mafia,” he said.
Bwanika said he would rather die than seeing continued sand mining in Lake Victoria.
“Highly connected mafias have done all they can to stop me. What they are doing is very adverse to the environment but police has opted to protect them and instead persecute me,” he said.
