Uganda opposition leader Besigye arrested

KAMPALA (AFP) - Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was arrested Monday, police said, in the latest in a series of clampdowns on his protest against rising food prices.

"He was arrested after a police officer on the ground asked him to return home, when he was given the option to return he refused," said police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba.

Besigye was arrested as he set off from his home with around 20 supporters to walk the 14 kilometres (seven miles) into Kampala's centre. Earlier this year he launched a "walk-to-work" protest over high living costs.

"He was trying to walk to work again, and was arrested by police just after leaving his gate," said Anne Mugisha, a member of Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change party.

Protests over rising living costs in April led to a brutal clampdown by security forces that left at least 10 people dead across the country.

Besigye was first taken to a police station near his house, before being loaded onto a police van and taken to a larger police station in central Kampala.

Several recent opposition rallies over rising food and fuel prices have been broken up by police using tear gas and water cannons.

Besigye was arrested breifly earlier this month in similar circumstances, although police then only detained him inside his own house.

© 2011 AFP