Tabu Butagira
4 March 2008
Kampala — FORMER army commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini has said the Kampala doctor with whom he exchanged blows on Sunday was 'hiding' his junior wife, Ms Winnie Kente.
Gen. Kazini, early Sunday morning reportedly fished out Ms Kente from Dr Robert Kagoda's JBK Medical centre in Buziga, where she was allegedly hiding when she learnt that her husband was furiously looking for her - upon learning that she had not spent the night at home.
Ms Kente told Daily Monitor that she spent the night out in a night club and returned at around 7am only to be warned by Dr Kagoda that Gen. Kazini was looking for her. She said he offered to hide her in his clinic and she agreed.
Ms Kente, who met Daily Monitor at a neutral venue in Bugolobi, clarified that Gen. Kazini is her husband with whom they have a two-year-old daughter, and that Dr Kagoda is a good neighbour. She says there was no shooting whatsoever on Sunday morning and that the fight between the doctor and the general was "man-to-man".
When Daily Monitor called Gen. Kazini to ask how he got involved in the fist-fight, he said, "Winnie is mine and I suspected that there could have been some foulplay when the doctor told her to hide in his clinic."
During yesterday's interview, the General said a female relative tipped him that Ms Kente was at the doctor's place.
He said they then fought when Dr Kagoda tried to block him from entering the medical centre to get "my Winnie, pushed me around and grabbed my neck."
"A scuffle ensued and because I did not have my escorts with me yet he was determined to choke me, I acted in self-defence," Gen. Kazini said, sharply contradicting the report Dr Kagoda made to Police.
Dr Kagoda had told detectives at Kabalagala Police Station that Gen. Kazini pounced on him without any cause - and struck his head with a pistol, causing intense bleeding.
Media reports indicated that Dr Kagoda was washing his mud-splattered car at about 7am when Gen. Kazini pulled up in a Mercedes Benz.
The general specifically inquired about the whereabouts of Ms Winnie Kente and the doctor said he did not know. It was Winnie's absence that reportedly infuriated the army man.
Gen. Kazini yesterday denied ever using a gun in the fracas and instead accused the doctor of assaulting him first.
That as it maybe, the army announced it was carrying out a parallel investigation to ascertain what happened to their senior officer.
"We are an interested party and will make every effort to find out what transpired," Maj. Paddy Ankunda, the defence and military spokesman said.
Police authorities declined to comment with each officer contacted shedding off responsibility.
Police Spokesman Gabriel Tibayungwa declined to comment on the progress of the investigations saying it was a "small" matter of assault that Kampala regional authorities should be in position to give a comment on.
Mr Simeo Nsubuga, the publicist for Kampala Extra police referred Daily Monitor to the Regional Police commander, Mr Edward Ochom who again referred this reporter to Mr Tibayungwa.
"This maybe a small case but it involves very high profile personalities. Let the official spokespersons comment on it," Mr Ochom said.
Mr Tibayungwa declined to receive repeated calls from this paper to confirm whether police had summoned Gen. Kazini to record statements in the assault case against him.
Police chief Kale Kayihura was not available for comment. His mobile phone was off when Daliy Monitor tried to contact him.
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