International media reports suggest that Ugandan opposition supporters stoned vehicles in convoys of African heads of state — including President Robert Mugabe’s — as they returned from the inauguration ceremony of Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni last week.

However, President Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba, dismissed the reports their convoy was attacked, but acknowledged some vehicles in other motorcades were stoned.

Charamba said: “Reports I heard were that one or two vehicles belonging to (Democratic Republic of Congo) President (Joseph) Kabila were stoned. He left early because he had urgent issues to attend to back home.”

The road leading to the airport had not yet been thoroughly cleared when Kabila passed through.
Charamba said the Ugandan government advised the leaders the road leading to the airport had been barricaded by protesters and was therefore unsafe.

He said all the leaders were asked to return to Munyonyo, a resort centre on the shores of Lake Victoria, where they were staying, while security details were busy clearing the road leading to Entebbe Airport.

Charamba said President Mugabe and his delegation were the last to leave for the airport after the road had been cleared.

“Strictly speaking, there were no riots when leaders were asked to leave,” Charamba told NewsDay yesterday.

“No host country can expose its guests to danger. Occasionally there was overspill of (Ugandan opposition leader Kizza) Besigye supporters. We passed Besigye’s convoy coming from Entebbe Airport and we drove past with no incident.

“I am the one who told the President when we were in the VIP at the airport that we had passed Besigye and he said he had not seen him. He said he only saw people celebrating.”

Tags: Media Reports