Why security red-flagged Bobi Wine in Mbale, Lira

The National Unity Platform (NUP) leader, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, spent the better part of last weekend colliding with security forces in Mbale and Lira City. 

Bobi Wine was allegedly considered a “source of insecurity”.
It all started on Friday when upon arriving in Mbale City, Bobi Wine and his team went to Bugisu Cooperative Union (BCU) radio station for a talk show between 11am and 12pm, and found most offices — including the studios — closed.

“We had paid for the show but I don’t know why they turned around and told us not to talk. This is illegal because we have a right to be hosted on radio stations,” Bobi Wine said, adding that NUP forked out Shs1.5m to buy airtime.

Mr Richard Welishe, the programmes director, confirmed that Bobi Wine had booked a talk show but security was quick to raise the red flag.

“The RCC, Mr Ahamada Washaki called my bosses, asking them not to host Bobi Wine. He had paid for one hour,” Mr Welishe said.
One ardent listener told us that the radio signal went off as early as 7am. 

Mr Rogers Taitika, the Elgon Region police spokesperson, said they received intelligence reports that NUP supporters were plotting to cause confusion in town.  “People were gathering to cause confusion in town, so we had to disperse them,” he said, adding, “It’s also not true that security personnel blocked Mr Bobi Wine from accessing the radio station. We don’t know why he didn’t have the talk show.” 

Mr Ahamada Washaki, the Residence City Commissioner (RCC), denied being playing a part in blocking Bobi Wine from accessing radio airtime.

Mr Bobi Wine later spent the night at a hotel before he headed for  Lira.

On his way to Radio Wa via Obote Avenue, hundreds of people closed business and joined the crowd that chanted praises and police teargassed the crowd.

Mr Lawrence Egole, the head of security, also the RCC, told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday that Bobi Wine had not briefed security about his presence, adding that Mr Kyagulanyi had not been invited to Brig Bosco Omure’s wedding.

Brig Omure was tying a knot with his wife Roslyn in an army ceremonial wedding attended by senior army officers at Uganda Martyrs Cathedral, about 500 metres from the heart of Lira City.

“He stealthily joined the convoy of motorcades led by a military brass band which was accompanying the couple to Uganda Martyrs Cathedral where the wedding took place,” Mr Egole said.

He added: “Even if he was invited, there was no need for him to move with his rowdy crowd and to hold a procession. So, it was totally unacceptable and we could not allow him to join a motorcade with very high profile senior army officers. So, we had to cut him off.”

However, Daily Monitor learnt that Mr Bobi Wine was scheduled to participate in a talk show at a Catholic-owned Radio Wa FM station on Saturday at 10am. The programme was allegedly cancelled by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) for lack of clearance.

Radio Wa managing director Charles Dickens Elem said UCC earlier summoned and directed him to cancel the programme.
Mr Bobi Wine said the programme was cancelled on orders of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and the district police commander (DPC).  

He said: “Regarding our meeting with the mobilisation teams, our coordinators submitted the letter of notification to the DPC but the DPC sent them to the RPC who sent them to the IGP!”

By Yahudu Kitunzi, Derrick Wandera, Bill Oketch & Patrick Ebong