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Police, Bobi Wine supporters clash over blocked shows
What you need to know:
- Police said the concert was cancelled because inadequate safety measures were put in place.
Supporters of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine on Monday clashed with police after authorities cancelled his Easter music shows in Kampala, Arua and Lira.
Tension ensued after police blocked a procession led by Bobi Wine at his One Love Beach in Busabala.
Bobi Wine was arrested and whisked away by a police van to an unknown destination. Police forcefully opened the car in which the MP was driving, breaking his window and pulled him out. However, singer Nubian Li who was with him in the car was not arrested.
Police spokesman Fred Enanga confirmed that officers "engaged him earlier and drove him away from Busabala" but would not say if he was formally arrested.
Later, a post on his Twitter account signed "admin" said the singer had been "violently arrested".
Police said the concert was cancelled because inadequate safety measures were put in place.
Popular music events promoter Andrew Mukasa of Bajjo events and Abbey Musinguzi alias Abtex who are at centre of organising Bobi Wine’s Kyarenga extra concerts which were supposed to happen this festive season were arrested. The two were arrested on Monday morning at the first police check- point at One Love Beach-Busabala and briefly detained in a police van before they were also whisked away.
Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana fainted and was carried by his supporters to a waiting car.
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Wine is among the most prominent critics of Uganda's longtime President Yoweri Museveni, and authorities have repeatedly blocked him from performing publically.
Young Ugandans have recently been energised by the singer-MP, who has become a thorn in the side of the government through his songs about social justice.