Bobi Wine makes U-turn on EC guidelines as he resumes campaigns

The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has vowed to follow the Electoral Commission (EC) guidelines as he resumes his campaigns in Bukomansimbi and Mpigi districts.

Last week, due to the surging Covid-19 infections and persistent violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) by some candidates, the EC suspended campaign meetings in Kampala and 15 other districts and cities in the country.

The EC spokesperson, Mr Paul Bukenya, said campaign meetings in the said districts were considered to be registering high spread of the virus, and had been suspended starting December 26 until further notice.
Other districts where campaign meetings have been banned are Mbarara, Kabarole, Luweero, Kasese, Masaka, Wakiso, Kabarole, Jinja, Kalungu, Kazo and Tororo.

“The EC suspended campaign meetings in districts/cities categorised by the Ministry of Health as having a high spread of Covid-19,” Mr Bukenya tweeted.

Bobi Wine said the regime is trying to frustrate his campaigns due to the “massive support” he has in some of the listed districts.

“What a coward Gen Museveni is! Initially, they said we didn’t have support upcountry. They have been surprised and scared to the teeth by the massive support we have received everywhere, including Museveni’s backyard in Kiruhura and Kazo. They have done everything possible to block us, but people have still showed up,” Bobi Wine said. 

“They have beaten the people, but the people have stood their ground. Now, they have suspended campaigns in districts where they think people will show up in tens of thousands! Of course, they had to add some other districts in order to sanitise their panicky actions,” he added. 

Bobi Wine verbatim
“Dear ladies and gentlemen, good morning Uganda, good morning the world, I am communicating to the people here and the rest outside Uganda.

You have all been seeing the brutality that is occasioned on us by police and security agencies here in Uganda, it is clear that this election is not in the hands of the Electoral Commission (EC). We have numerously complained to the chairman of the EC, one time he claimed that he is not on social media so he cannot follow what is happening.

He is also reported to have said his DSTV subscription was due and he did not know what was going on.
Even though him and the entire EC said this will be a scientific election, therefore a scientific campaign, many of our friends have been murdered in cold blood by the police and military, some were run over by police trucks while others were shot and killed execution style.

All these were brought to the attention of EC and nothing was done, just a few days ago a journalist that covering closely the happenings, Ashraf Kasirye was shot in the head and he is still in critical condition at Rubaga hospital Intensive Care Unit, our brother Frank Senteza was murdered, ran over by a military truck, yesterday I was supposed to campaign in Kalangala Islands as per the EC schedule.

For the record, Kalangala is not among the districts that were restricted for campaign. However, we were followed by police and the military. The military chopper came with very many military men and SFC soldiers.
All our team to a tune of 90 people, including the medical and security teams, journalists and other people were arrested and detained.

I was the only one forced into a military chopper with many soldiers who flew me up to Kololo airstrip where police drove me and dumped me at my gate.

But before that, my bodyguard Eddie Mutwe and I were arrested and put in a police van where we were pepper-sprayed and beaten.

I know that this is meant to break our strength, but we are confident because we are doing things legally.
We are in a campaign season and I am supposed to campaign because I am a presidential candidate.

Whereas, EC says Mukono, Kampala and Wakiso districts are on ban for campaign due to Covid-19 increase in cases, we have seen President Museveni campaigning in these places; shamelessly he is the one giving out orders to stop the campaign.

I send this message to the police and the army that the regime has continued making you do mistakes in the line of duty but one time, every individual will face his or her fate.

I know that my life has been a target by security people because most of my colleagues have died in the same way for example my first journalist Moses Bwayo was shot, my producer was injured, my head security ASP Kato was also injured, my fellow musician Nubian Lee was also injured and recently our cameraman Ashraf was also shot in the head but we are not giving up.

From here, we are heading to Bukomansimbi and Mpigi districts for campaigns.”
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