Ignore UPDF ban, wear berets, Bobi Wine tells his supporters

Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has dismissed the army ban on wearing red berets and encouraged his supporters to continue wearing them as a brand symbol of his People Power political movement.

“Banning the beret is a waste of time because we are bigger than our symbol. But in any case, we break no law. Continue wearing them please,” Bobi Wine urged his supporters during a press conference in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb, yesterday.

“We shall continue to struggle for democracy in this country we call home,” he added.
Last month, government published in the national gazette the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) uniforms and other wear that included red berets which civilians should not wear. The army announced that anyone found wearing them will be prosecuted under the UPDF law.

The ban on wearing the red berets came two months after Bobi Wine’s People Power launched the attire as one of their campaign brand symbols in preparation for the 2021 General Elections.
“All the army is doing is working to keep President Museveni in power and yet they (army) should remain non-partisan,” Bobi Wine said.

Section 119 (1) of the UPDF Act 2005 stipulates that any person found in unlawful possession of any equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the defence forces and other classified stores as prescribed, is subject to military law and can be tried in military courts as appropriate. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on conviction.
Lawyer and Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa said wearing the red berets does not violate Section 160 of the UPDF Act 2005.

“The law prohibits people from using army marks and not colours or shapes of attires. Ours (symbol) is a raised fist in the middle of a map of Uganda, not the coat of arms like that on the UPDF beret,” he said.
Section 160 of the UPDF Act 2005 stipulates: “The minister shall, by notice published in the gazette, declare and make known what mark or marks when applied to any arms, clothing, equipment, vehicle, aircraft, or boat shall denote them as property of the state.”

Section 160 (2) (c) says: “If any person unlawfully receives, possesses, sells or delivers any army clothing, equipment, vehicle, aircraft, or boat bearing any mark referred to in Subsection (1) or forbidden by or under this act to be sold, pledge or otherwise disposal of, commits an offence and is, on conviction, liable to imprisonment for life.”

In the last two years, security agencies have engaged in running battles with the People Power supporters over the red berets which became popular among members of the Opposition in 2017 during and after the debate on the amendment of Article 102 (b) of the Constitution to remove the presidential age limit.

In 2019, during the Kabaka (king of Buganda) Ronald Mutebi’s 63rd birthday anniversary celebration where Bobi Wine was to perform, police ordered that people should not appear wearing red berets and T-shirts at the venue.
In an Afcon qualification match of Uganda Cranes and Cape Verde at Namboole Stadium last year, police arrested and confiscated fans’ red attires including berets, T-shirts and bandanas saying they were political colours.

Addressing the press yesterday, Mr Basalirwa said the People Power legal team would take action if any of their members is arrested for wearing a red beret.
“As MPs, we shall task the minister [of internal Affairs] to explain the ban in Parliament and if they don’t and go ahead to arrest anyone wearing the red beret, we shall sue that person and task them to show us which marks of the army we are using,” he said.

Defiant

Meanwhile, at the same event Bobi Wine announced that he would hold a music show at his One Love Beach in Busabala, Wakiso District on Independence Day, October 9.

After blocking his Easter concert in Busabala in April, Bobi Wine said police had blocked 112 of his shows in the previous two years. On every occasion, police said Bobi Wine had not obtained permission to hold the music shows.

Yesterday, Bobi Wine said he had already written to police informing them of his October 9 show and was awaiting their response.

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