Uganda’s Bobi Wine, presidential candidate and opposition leader, arrested

Reports from Uganda say security forces have arrested the country’s main opposition leader and January 2021 presidential election candidate, Robert Ssentamu a.k.a Bobi Wine.

Wine was arrested for calling on Ugandans last week to “rise up peacefully and unarmed” in protest against President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African country for nearly four decades.

He was arrested during the protest when he led members of parliament against the torture of his supporters, according to a tweet posted on Monday by the administrators of his verified Twitter handle.

“Bobi Wine was arrested as he led MPs and other leaders in a peaceful protest against the abduction, torture and murder of his supporters. The protest was taking place at City Square, Kampala. ~ ADMIN,” the tweet stated.

Museveni was announced to have won a sixth term in office in January with 58 percent of the controversial votes. Wine, who came second with 35 percent rejected the poll results, decrying it as massively rigged.

The singer-turned lawmaker challenged the results in court, saying he won the day but the 39-year-old later withdrew his petition, saying the judiciary was stacked in favour of Museveni.

Speaking earlier at the headquarters of his National Unity Platform in Kampala, Wine said the time had come for public demonstrations against Museveni, who took power in 1986 and has ruled ever since.

“I call upon you to rise up peacefully and unarmed to demonstrate against the regime that has oppressed us, exploited us and turned us into slaves in our own country.

“We invite you to march to your respective district offices and seek answers,” he said.

Demonstrations against Wine’s arrest in November during the election campaign were brutally dispersed by security forces and at least 54 people died.

Since the January 14 election, the opposition has alleged that security forces have been abducting their supporters.

Museveni and government officials initially denied these claims, but later admitted that citizens accusing of plotting against the state were being held by the military and other security agencies.

The police pre-emptively declared Wine’s call for protests illegal and warned “organisers of these unlawful demonstrations to desist from participating in any unlawful activities”.

“The police will not hesitate to arrest and charge in courts of law anyone, who will be found participating in these illegal activities,” Uganda’s police force said in a statement on Monday night.

Meanwhile, joint police and military patrols have blocked several roads in Kampala, the capital, and a police helicopter buzzed the crowd at NUP premises.