President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has finally broken the silence on the deadly protests that ensued in the different parts of the country following the arrest NUP’s Bobi Wine.
While speaking to NRM leaders in Kotido on Thursday afternoon, Museveni said government will not tolerate the hooliganism exhibited by the protesters, warning they will be crashed.
“They have entered an area of fighting we know very well. Whoever started it will regret it. Some of these groups are being used by outsiders who don’t like the stability and independence of Uganda but will discover what they are looking for,” Museveni warned.
Following the protests, several people donning the yellow colours of the ruling NRM party were beaten by protesters as well as security personnel being targeted .
Speaking on Thursday, the NRM presidential candidate warned that they will soon make it difficult for anyone to Touch NRM members.
“Those who have been attacking NRM people in Kampala will soon lose that appetite. You will see the uniform of NRM and won’t touch it. Even if they abandon it, you won’t touch it. They want to create violence so that elections are not held, however, elections will continue and those fighting will lose. They will answer for the crimes they have committed.”
The President said the guidelines were put in place for the benefit of members of the public not to contract the virus but warned it is foolishness for some people to ignore them.
“We are here in this campaigning indirectly where we dont hold rallies for the sake of avoiding infecting more people. We have lost quite a number of people already including two Members of Parliament and some scientists. It is therefore criminal for anybody to ignore this. We are not going to tolerate that and whoever does it(violates guidelines) will regret what they did,” Museveni warned.
The latest statement by the President, who is also the commander in chief of the armed forces is a pointer of the force that government is set to deploy to enforce guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and the Electoral Commission in regards to campaign meetings and the number of people to attend.
The President’s statement is also an indicator of the force that government is set to use to crack down on protesters in various parts of the country but also violators of the guidelines.
