Ugandan opposition politician Bobi Wine and his wife Barbara Itungo are still under house arrest hours after the High Court declared their continued detention illegal.
In a tweet on Monday afternoon, Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, said the military and police officers surrounding his residence are yet to vacate as ordered by the court.
“The High Court ruled this morning that my continued house arrest (11 days now) is illegal & unconstitutional. Several hours later, the military still surrounds my home, blocking access to all! Perhaps (as always) waiting for Gen. Museveni’s orders on the next course of action, ” he tweeted.
The High Court ruled this morning that my continued house arrest (11 days now) is illegal & unconstitutional. Several hours later, the military still surrounds my home, blocking access to all! Perhaps (as always) waiting for Gen. Museveni's orders on the next course of action.
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) January 25, 2021
In a ruling delivered on Monday morning, Justice Michael Elubu, who heads the court’s civil division, said the government should charge the politician in court if it has evidence implicating him in any wrongdoing.
Read: Ugandan Court Orders Army Officers To Vacate Bobi Wine’s Residence
“The Court held that the freedom to personal liberty is too crucial that it should not be restricted casually or indefinitely,” Wine’s lawyer George Musisi told CNN.
The popstar-turned-politicians and member of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party has been under house arrest since Uganda went to the polls on January 14, 2021.
The military surrounding his home has kept everyone away including NUP officials and the media.
On January 18, US ambassador to Uganda Natalie Brown was turned away after an attempt to see Wine.
Read Also: US Ambassador To Uganda Allegedly Turned Away From Bobi Wine’s Home
Later, Ugandan authorities accused the envoy of breaching diplomatic norms over her attempt to visit the politician.
“We expect her to write to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to adhere to diplomatic norms. We don’t think that a friendly country or someone who wants to help out in a difficult situation would act in this way,” State spokesman Ofwono Opondo told AFP.
Earlier, Wine, who rejected the outcome of the polls, said that he and his family had run out of food suppliers and attempts to restock were being blocked by the armed soldiers.
Read Also: Bobi Wine’s 18-month-old Niece “Safely Evacuated” From Politician’s Residence
“It’s now four days since the military surrounded our home and placed my wife and I under house arrest. We have run out of food supplies and when my wife tried to pick food from the garden yesterday, she was blocked and assaulted by the soldiers staged in our compound, ” Wine tweeted.
The 38-year-old was the main opposition frontrunner in the presidential election that incumbent President Yoweri Museveni was declared winner with 5.85 million (58.6%) votes.
He came in second with 3.48 million votes, that represent 34.8 per cent of the votes cast.
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