Ugandan politician Bobi Wine has vowed to protest ‘any illegalities and any irregularities’ relating to the upcoming election on January 14th.
“This is going to be more or less a protest vote in my view, you know. And protesting comes in voting and protesting comes also in demonstration for as long as it is within the acceptable legal confines. So, it would be harming the regime, telling them that we are going to walk to work or we are going to sit in or we are going to do this or that. But all I can assure you is that we shall protest any injustice, we shall protest any illegalities and any irregularities,” Wine said per AFP.
The leading opposition presidential candidate, real name Robert Kyagulanyi, has been systematically targeted by Ugandan authorities since speaking out about President Yoweri Museveni.
I want to appreciate all of you friends in Uganda and abroad who are very concerned about us in these perilous times. The dictator is in complete panic. We only have the duty to keep on keeping on. #WeAreRemovingADictator
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) December 30, 2020
Wine and his team were arrested once again last week in the country’s central region of Kalangala.
Joel Senyonyi, the spokesman for Wine’s National Unity Platform party, confirm the reports: “Yes police has arrested him together with his whole campaign team. They (police) put them in police trucks and started driving but we don’t know where they are taking them.”
Uganda police denied the allegations, accusing Wine supporters of deflating police vehicles’ tires and inciting violence.
Thank you MPIGI! Thank you Bukomansimbi! Very motivated to see you defy incredible levels of intimidation to come out and listen to the message of freedom. By arresting my entire campaign team, they thought we would be stuck, but the people showed up and showed off! pic.twitter.com/d7uO3n5TQh
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) December 31, 2020
In November, security forces shot and killed at least 54 people during a two-day demonstration in protest of Wine’s arrest.
The musician-turned politician is the biggest threat to Museveni’s reign, who led a rebel army to seize power in 1986. He has ruled the country for more than three decades.