By Wesley Spartan
Robert Shaka better known to many as Maverick is reportedly being detained at Kireka SIU headquarters, a day after he appeared in news denying links with a social media critic, Tom Voltaire Okwalinga aka TVO.
Shaka featured in an NTV interview lastnight where he made it clear that he was not the most wanted critic who has over the years given government unceasing headache.
In his own words, Shaka said he has was summoned to CIID headquarters in Kibuli and interrogated.
He reports every month to the same station but insists he is not TVO.
He said police is on his case because he freely expresses his opinions on issues of national importance including the economy and unemployment, among others.
Shaka, an information and security consultant was arrested Monday morning and detained.
His arrest was first publicized by the same TVO on his Facebook page “Tom Voltaire Okwalinga”.
TVO demanded Shaka’s immediate release saying “he has not committed any crime by just airing out his views and opinion”.
“He is not even TVO. I advise you to continue looking for TVO until you grow grey hair, and by that time it will be TVO looking for you,” TVO wrote.
The deputy police spokesperson, Polly Namaye, told us she was not aware of the arrest and referred us to the police spokesman, Fred Enanga.
Enanga never received our repetitive calls.
The Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, said he was also unaware of the arrest and referred us back to Enanga.
However, sources insist that Shaka is currently being held at Kireka SIU headquarters.
<strong>Shaka’s message before arrest
“It is a political arrest. Police will not tell you anything,” the source told us.
Before his arrest, Shaka wrote on his Facebook page “Maverick Blutaski” saying: “If you have been asking, I have answered. This is what I believe in. This is what I stand for. Our freedom is intertwined with your freedom. Our dreams are intertwined with your dreams.”
He said our fears and aspirations are intertwined with yours, “if you are not free then am not free either. If you suffer from economic insecurity then I must also. When you celebrate in a unity of purpose, I celebrate with you. If you’re sad we have no reason to be happy; we must walk with you. We must hold each other’s hand and walk together. That is how we build strong communities of men and women”.
“If we have water so must your children. If our children are going to school so must your children. If our children have food so should yours. If our children have medical care so must everyone’s child. If our children have JOBS so should the children of all our country men and women. Every parent prides in the success of their children.”
“I have lived in absolute poverty, I have tasted failure, I have made mistakes and I know you thought you’re alone. But like you I ALWAYS choose to stand up and walk for my victory so you must as well ALWAYS. Failure is no longer an OPTION.”
“I, ROBERT SHAKA, the son of man stand for a country of shared dreams, peace and prosperity where every child can dream and live to touch their dreams. I stand on this principle because Uganda gave me my opportunity and I took it with both hands and wish it for every young man and woman to partake. So help me GOD.”
Police accuses Robert Shaka of promoting sectarianism contrary to section 41 of the Penal Code Act.
This was revealed by Shaka’s lawyer, Nicholas Opiyo, in a press release issued Tuesday evening.
He is accused of using computers and other electronic devices to issue offensive communications against the sovereign state of Uganda, according to the statement.
Shaka was arrested on Monday morning by a group of 10 police officers from SIU as he left his home in Kyaliwajala, a Kampala suburb.
He was detained at Kireka SIU headquarters following the broadcast of his interview with NTV about police harassment.
In the interview, Shaka denied being or having any links with a social media critic, Tom Voltaire Okwalinga aka TVO, as police alleges.
He has been reporting to CIID headquarters Kibuli since February 2015 following his summoning to the same station.
“That using computers and other electronic devices, he issued offensive communication against President Yoweri Museveni, Janet Museveni, Kale Kayihura, a one Mbabazi and a one Kelen thereby committing the offence of offensive communication contrary to section 25 of the computer misuse act,” Opiyo explained.
While Shaka remains detained, TVO continues posting on his page showing that the latter is being held unjustly.
“We are writing to re-assure the general public that Mr Shaka is detained at SIU Kireka and he is in good health,” Opiyo wrote.
“Mr Shaka is a prisoner of conscience and will prove his innocence in courts of law if so charged.”
Opiyo clarified that Shaka’s pages are known and don’t appear under pseudo names hence his unceremonious arrest and detention “represents an affront to the freedom of expression for all Ugandans especially those using new media platforms to express their views and opinions.”
Opiyo ended by thanking friends, colleagues and relatives for supporting him
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