Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye arrested for fourth time

President Yoweri Musuveni's political rival charged with unlawful assembly after leading food and fuel price protest in Kampala
Ugandan police confront opposition leader Kizza Besigye
Ugandan police confront Kizza Besigye (centre) moments before he was arrested on a new 'walk to work' protest. Photograph: Marc Hofer/AFP/Getty Images

The Ugandan opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, has been charged and remanded in custody after being arrested at a protest march for the fourth time in two weeks.

Besigye was detained for leading a crowd towards the centre of Kampala in the fourth of a series of "walks to work" – protests against high food and fuel prices in the country.

He was remanded in custody until 27 April after being charged with participating in an unlawful assembly, a witness said.

Besigye's car was surrounded by hundreds of chanting supporters when riot police moved in. Police fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

He was bundled into a van and taken to a police station before being transferred to another police post beside a heavily guarded courthouse on the outskirts of the capital, a witness said.

Police spokesman Vincent Sekate said: "All I can say is that we have him. He attracted a crowd and when it started being rowdy, we came in and decided to arrest him and create order again."

Besigye was released on bail on two previous occasions in the past two weeks after being charged with inciting unrest.

During the second protest march, a week ago he was shot in his right hand by what he believes was a rubber bullet, fracturing a finger.

He lost a third straight presidential election to Yoweri Museveni in February. Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, had warned his rival that he would not be allowed to lead any demonstrations.

Official returns in the election showed Museveni with about 68% of the vote and Besigye with 26% but Besigye says the results were falsified.

Nevertheless, he declined to appeal after losing appeals at the supreme court in two previous elections. Instead he embarked on the walks to work campaign, which has boosted his popularity.

The price of maize in Uganda has risen 114% over the past year, according to the World Bank – the highest year-on-year increase in the world. Petrol and meat prices are also soaring.

Besigye has highlighted what he called chronic and gross mismanagement of tax receipts.

He noted parliament's recent approval of a $750m (£450m) purchase of six fighter jets but said the government does not have any food or fuel reserves to tap into during periods of crisis.

In an interview on Wednesday, he told Associated Press: "The greatest majority of our people are completely marginalised. They can hardly afford a meal a day.

"They cannot afford accommodation, those who are in towns. They have no access to healthcare ... the healthcare system is completely broken down.

"Young people cannot hope to get a job at all, and so there is a state of hopelessness that has engulfed our people."