Ugandan opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi was on Monday arrested just hours after taking to the streets to protest alleged human rights abuses by security agents in the country.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader popularly known as Bobi Wine was arrested as he led other leaders and members of the public to protest over what he termed as abduction, torture and murder of his supporters. The protest was taking place at City Square, Kampala.
“The right to protest peacefully is a fundamental human right. We are protesting for hundreds of missing Ugandans whose families have not heard from them for months,” a tweet on his Twitter page reads.
The right to protest peacefully is a fundamental human right. We are protesting for hundreds of missing Ugandans whose families have not heard from them for months! Those who have showed up have been grossly tortured- castrated, fingernails plucked out, eyes smashed, etc.
ADMIN— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) March 15, 2021
The former presidential candidate, who continues to accuse President Yoweri Museveni of having rigged the January election, alleges that thousands of his supporters are in arbitrary detention for associating with his NUP party.
On March 10, Wine said that it had been 70 days since authorities arrested all of his campaign team members in Kalangala, Central Uganda.
Read: Ugandan Soldiers Jailed For Brutalising Journalists Covering Bobi Wine
About an hour after Wine was arrested his office said that he had been driven and dropped at his home.
“His home now surrounded by police and the military, ” his office added.
UPDATE: Bobi Wine driven in police truck, and dropped at home. His home now surrounded by police and the military.
~ Admin
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) March 15, 2021
On February 22, Wine announced that he had directed his lawyers to withdraw a petition challenging Museveni’s re-election citing bias by the Supreme Court judges.
The 38-year-old said the judges had rejected his application to table more evidence linking Museveni, 76, to poll fraud, without a “substantial reason”.
Read Also: Bobi Wine Accuses Uganda’s Supreme Court of Bias As he Withdraws Petition Against Museveni
“It’s clear that Alfonse Owiny-Dollo (Uganda’s Chief Justice and Head of the Supreme Court) and members of this court are not interested in giving Ugandans justice, ” said Bobi Wine adding that some members of the Judiciary had held private meetings with Museveni.
He said he would take the matter to the “court of the people”.
“The people of Uganda are going to have a final say in matters concerning their destiny, ” he added.
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