Abraham Tumusiime, 23, a Kyambogo University Student, whose hand got shattered during last week’s protest against tuition policy has finally spoken out about his condition and who to blame. Tumusiime says that the tear gas canister that crushed his hand was purposely thrown to him at a close range by one of police officers.
Tumusiime has further dismissed reports that he picked up the canister during the protest explaining that the canister was discharged by the personnel deployed to disperse violent students who were protesting against the new 12-week tuition policy.
Police reported last week that Tumusiime picked up the canister in an attempt to throw it back to its officers, little did he know that it would explode in his right hand, leaving it badly crushed. The entire hand was later cut off during a surgical operation at St. Francis Hospital, Nsambya.
Tumusiime is currently in his second year pursuing a Diploma in Automotive and Power Engineering at Kyambogo University. The Kyambogo student insists that he was a victim of police brutality, who was deliberately aimed at by police during the protest. He adds that police’s narration of him planning to throw back the canister portrayed him as a bad character, yet it was the other way round.
Tumusiime adds that he is feeling a lot of pain, and emotional trauma after the incident. Being an engineering student, who would need both of his hands, Tumusiime fears that the incident could affect his ability to resume school.
The students were protesting against the new tuition policy that requires them to clear payment within the first 12 weeks of the semester or risk getting a dead year.
