Bobi diverted 20km from planned venue

National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, was yesterday diverted from his original campaign venue in Madi-Okollo District and diverted to another place, 20km deep in the village.

Mr Kyagulanyi said he had informed people and security of his plan to hold his campaign meeting at Okollo Primary School in Madi-Okollo Town Council but police at the last minute changed the venue and asked him to relocate to Adraa Primary School, 20km away.

“We had been diverted to a deep village, which is about 20km away, thinking that I would find here only five people. You people who have made it here are the real heroes,” Bobi Wine told about 100 supporters who sat in the tents.

This was the smallest rally Bobi Wine has held since he started his campaigns on November 10. Despite observing the Covid-19 regulations and the standard operating procedures (SOPs), Mr Kyagulanyi attributed the small number of people at the venue to security intimidation and malicious diversions.

“I know that security officers went around last night intimidating you that you would be arrested if you attended my rally. I am happy that some of you did not listen to them,” he said.

Some residents confirmed the security intimidation. “Police went around with a loud speaker, saying there were people within Bobi Wine’s camp whose target was to steal our phones and cause our arrest,” Mr Peter Okullu, a resident of Madi Okollo Town Council said.

At their last rally in Terego District, NUP deputy president for northern region, Dr Lina Zedriga, said they had also been diverted from their earlier confirmed venue at Omugo playground to Leju Trading Centre, which is about 15km away.

“These diversions are meant to slow us because they are affecting our programmes. We have very little time but this has gone beyond what we expected. We agree with police on the routes and venues but they keep changing them at the last minute,” Ms Zedriga said in an interview.

However, West Nile regional police spokesperson Josephine Angucia insisted that they had followed the programme earlier set by both Mr Kyagulanyi’s team and security. 

“It is not true that we diverted him; that is where he was meant to be. However, he tried to access the town council but we restrained him,” Ms Angucia said.

After his first rally in Zombo District, which was attended by big crowds, Bobi Wine headed to Madi Okollo through the dusty bad roads with two police patrol trucks trailing him .    

Through the villages in Paidha and Zombo, Mr Kyagulanyi would occasionally make stopovers to brief his team about the journey. After more than two hours, he accessed a road that links Madi-Okollo to Arua City.

A road block was mounted to block him but Mr Kyagulanyi refused to take the village roads, claiming he had received information about a plan to target him and his team there. He forced his way through to the venue for his second rally.

At his first rally at Paidha Primary Teachers’ College in Zombo, he took another swipe at President Museveni and said the National Resistance Movement (NRM) is applying tactics of the colonial government, which have continued to enslave Ugandans.

“The colonialists would come among the blacks and get some free greedy ones and use them to kill and maim their fellow citizens. They were White people in Black skins. This is the same tactic President Museveni is using but I would like to tell you that you people are more powerful than that cheap money that he might give you,” Mr Kyagulanyi told the voters.

During his campaigns in the three districts, he pledged to upgrade local roads. 

What voters say...
Ms Esther Chandiru said: “There is stinking poverty in our area and we hope the next president finds solutions to it. The issue of unemployment across the country is here too and we hope these are some of the things the president will give priority.”

Mr Sam Achidri said: “The issue of our roads is really alarming, when it rains, these roads are a mess. President Museveni has been promising us for the last 20 years but he has never delivered.”

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