National Unity Platform (NUP) president Mr Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine has been arrested as he led a peaceful demonstration demanding the release of hundreds of his supporters who are missing after they were arrested during and after the January 14 elections.
The runner-up in the presidential poll which saw Mr Yoweri Museveni declared winner was on Monday intercepted by police at City Square in Kampala as he led a group of his followers to demand for the freedom of his supporters most of whom he says were kidnapped and tortured by security operatives.
“This group of Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) cheated massively in elections. They rigged and did ballot stuffing; helped by the weak organization of (ruling) NRM party and corrupt people. Those who helped them in Police abused their trust and are a disgrace,” Mr Museveni said.
“They have been planning that they will stop swearing in of the president. They won’t. They plan all sorts of crazy things including killing their own Opposition people to say it is the government,” Mr Museveni said in a televised address to the nation last night.
Mr Museveni also accused NUP of rigging elections just days after he said the poll may turn out to be the “most cheating free in the history of Uganda” in his victory speech hours after the EC on January 16 declared him winner.
Although Bobi Wine insists his call is for peaceful protests, the security Ministry Gen Elly Tumwine recently warned and said the Kyadondo Eat MP and his supporters are only using the protest as a scapegoat to cause chaos and violence.
“We’re tired, hungry, angry and oppressed; but we still have brains and are non-violent. We chose not to use violence and we are innocent. They cannot outnumber us. I ask you to demonstrate peacefully,” Bobi Wine said in his online address on the night March 14 days after Mr Tumwine had said “They (Bobi Wine) are using the word peaceful demonstrations as a cover up. Leaflets with hate speech are being dumped and lethal weapons such as knives, machetes have been withdrawn from some protesters”
