Bobi Wine to launch manifesto in Mbarara, rejects EC security team

Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine is set to launch his manifesto in Mbarara City Friday, November 6, 2020. 

Bobi Wine will also use the same function to officially open NUP offices in the district that is within the same metropolitan as Kiruhura, the ancestral home of the incumbent and National Resistance Party (NRM) nominee Mr Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni. 

Mbarara had decades-long been an NRM stronghold until during the 2016 polls when there was a significant dwindle in the turnout. 

National Unity Platform (NUP) nominee, Bobi Wine has also rejected the government security detail that was given to him by the Electoral Commission after his nomination yesterday, party Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya has announced.

Bobi Wine's plans to launch his manifesto at NUP offices in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb were yesterday foiled by security operatives who detained him shortly after his nomination at Kyambogo sports grounds before firing teargas and live bullets at his supporters.

Several people, including Bobi Wine himself, were injured and are currently undergoing treatment in different hospitals across the country.

"On Friday this week, we will be launching our manifesto in Mbarara City. We will also officially open our regional office in Mbarara that day. We had planned to launch our manifesto here at NUP offices yesterday but you saw what happened; how security operatives fired teargas and bullets at us," Mr Rubongoya confirmed. 

"On that note, our president (Bobi) has rejected the security team given to him by the Electoral Commission. Those people who were supposed to protect him were instead the ones helping their colleagues (security operatives) to arrest him at Kyambogo," he added.

Addressing his supporters that were chanting his name at his home shortly after his release, Bobi Wine remarked: “This election is not going to be like the usual ones. This is a revolutionary election. If this is a boxing ring, the bell has rung. I have entered the ring on behalf of Ugandans trapped in misery and suffering and I can assure you, I will not surrender.” 

Tuesday was full of violent scenes with scuffles between police and his [Bobi] loyalists, which resulted into several arrests in Masaka, Mityana, Mbarara and Busia.

Compiled by Job Bwire and David Vosh Ajuna