Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was hit in the hand by a rubber bullet Thursday during a protest march just outside the capital, Kampala.
Besigye was taking part in a "walk to work" protest against rising food and fuel prices when police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators.
A journalist in Kampala told VOA Swahili service that Besigye was struck in the third finger of his right hand. She said the finger was broken and that Besigye was not expected to lose the finger.
Besigye was arrested along with some of his supporters during a similar protest on Monday.
The U.S. State Department said it was concerned about those arrests, and called on the Ugandan government to respect citizens' rights to demonstrate peacefully.
Last month, police fired tear gas to break up protests against alleged fraud in Uganda's presidential election.
Besigye was runner-up to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in the February election. He has lost three straight elections to the longtime Ugandan president.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
