Kampala — On Monday, the Military Police boss, Lt. Col. Dick Bugingo slapped Rubaramira Ruranga, FDC's secretary for electoral affairs as he waited for the South African President's arrival outside their party's office. Ruranga spoke to Charles Etukuri. Below are excerpts

You were allegedly beaten by Lt. Col Bugingo at the Forum for Democratic Change offices at Najjanakumbi. How did it happen?

People were excited about the coming of President Thabo Mbeki. Normally when the police appear on the scene, people become cautious that they have come to do something to them. So people started shouting. I went to the people and told them these are not the people you are supposed to be fighting, they have been sent. I had managed to get all the people inside our compound (FDC Villas). Then as I was almost leaving I saw Bugingo's car parking with soldiers on it.

Bugingo has been my friend and I have never had any trouble with him. So I went back to greet him and immediately I had removed my hands from his, he hit me. I turned to him and asked him why he was doing it. He was fuming. I asked again, "Why exactly are you doing this?"

Didn't you provoke him in anyway?

No. You can even interview policemen who were there. I only went to greet him and we never exchanged any hard words and there was nothing to cause that type of reaction. Certainly there was no reason why Bugingo would have beaten me if I had never been in the army.

So it seems that this is an inner part of rage, which these people have especially against those who used to be in the movement and especially at the senior level as we were and actually quit. This reminds me of the announcement Gen. Aronda Nyakairima made when he said those of us who have retired and are talking ill of the President will have problems.

You retired from the army. How do you find it now?

I have not served any other army apart from this army. But I have been all over the world. I am quite an exposed person and I have dealt with armies in other countries especially on HIV and AIDS. But I have never seen an army like ours. Our army does not appear to act as a national army. It appears to act as a militia belonging to someone else because they defy all the rules. Because of that, it becomes very difficult to professionalise the army.

Do you still meet your former colleagues?

I can tell you, for example, this Bugingo incident has reactions. He is a man I had never had a quarrel with and we were together in the bush.

So when people see him hit me, they are really shocked. Senior officers in the army and Government have already called me and expressed their anger about this.

But there are some people in the flock who think they will get every mile and anything like this will receive applause from them.

Because most of them don't know anything about the law and are not civilised enough, all they believe is that they have power, fought for it and must keep it.

What is your appeal to the likes of Bugingo and the many others?

I would like to suggest that being in the opposition is a thing which we have all accepted and should not cause animosity between people who were friends. If I say I don't agree with your opinion, it doesn't mean that I am your enemy.

Disagreement should not cause animosity and I would rather want to encourage the people in the army that if they really think they are a Ugandan army, they stop involving themselves in a personalised partisan behavior.

Since the events happened has anybody called you from the army or Government to apologise?

No. Nothing has been done. But we are yet to find out what exactly precipitates these actions at this time. It is unbecoming and I am surprised the army has not taken any action. The correct behaviour in the army is that you don't fight on the streets when you are in uniform.

Are you approaching the matter with the army administratively or you are going to the courts?

I am not an army man so I will go to the courts of law and then they can discuss with the military what they think is right.