Bobi Wine had sought to start the first day of consultations with supporters ahead of the 2021 presidential election. The young politician threatens aging President Yoweri Museveni's nearly three decades of rule.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/Stringer
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Police in Uganda on Monday arrested singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who sought to hold his first public meeting with supporters ahead of next year's presidential election.
Wine's arrest alongside two other lawmakers highlights the hurdles he faces in a bid to unseat longtime President Yoweri Museveni.
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse supporters of his People Power movement gathered outside the capital, Kampala, accusing them of holding an illegal assembly.
Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, aimed to start the first day of a weeklong series of consultations with supporters to outline plans to run for president in the 2021 elections.
Ugandan musicians in politics
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The Election Committee had approved the consultations, but police later claimed that Wine's supporters hadn't kept to the terms. Edson Muhangi, a police commander, said that Wine was attempting to hold a rally outside instead of in an enclosed place. He also said the 37-year-old had failed to provide a "traffic assembly plan," a sufficient number of toilets and "clearly identified name tags."
Police accused Wine of "going early and conducting campaigns" instead of "consultations." Under Uganda's election law, "nationwide consultation" is allowed 12 months ahead of the official nomination of candidates.
Throwing up hurdles
Earlier, a first event at a Catholic Church in his constituency in Kampala could not proceed because police deployed outside before dawn. Angry protesters then set car tires on fire and blocked roads, prompting police to use tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowd.
"Despite complying with all lawful requirements, the police and military have blocked the first consultative meeting for the 2021 Presidential election," an administrator of Wine's Twitter account wrote.
Robert Amsterdam, a lawyer for the politician, wrote on Twitter that Wine and others had been arrested in a "violation of basic rights."
Since becoming a legislator in 2017, Wine has repeatedly faced harassment and detention by security forces. In recent months, authorities have prevented him from holding rallies or even giving concerts, saying that the events are a danger to the public.
Wine has also been charged with various criminal offences. A conviction would prevent him from running for president of the East African country.
Wine is especially popular among young Ugandans tired of the 75-year-old Museveni.
Museveni seized power at the head of a rebel army in 1986. His critics accuse him of using legal maneuvering and authoritarian tactics to maintain power.
Red is the color of opposition in Africa
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Image: Getty Images/AFP/Z. Auntony
Leader in red
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Color for change
Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) came to prominence at the height of the country's spiral into an economic downturn from which it is yet to recover. The T in its name is a reference to the party's late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai who was detained and tortured by the previous government of Robert Mugabe. MDC gatherings were banned recently.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/Z. Auntony
Ghetto president
Bobi Wine is the stage name of the leader of Uganda's People Power Movement, Kyagulanyi Ssetamu Robert. He is a popular musician. Uganda's long-time President Yoweri Museveni has banned the red beret favored by Wine and his supporters, saying it should be reserved for the military.
Image: picture-alliance/Cover Images/L. Dray/
#BringBackOurGirls
In April 2014, 276 school girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram in Chibok in Nigeria's Borno state. Dozens of girls were later freed or escaped but most are still being held captive by the extremist group. Aisha Yusuf has been one of the most vocal advocates for their release. An international campaign for their release uses hashtags that include #BringBackOurGirls and #ChibokGirls
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No to a white-out vote
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#MustFall movements
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Seeing red
Guinea has seen regular anti-government protests since October 2019, with participants wearing the color of the opposition coalition. Many Guineans are angry over the West African country's octogenarian leader Alpha Conde's plans to revise the constitution and make a third presidential term possible.
Image: AFP/C. Binani
Red for revolution
Red has always been the color of the revolution since at least 1848. Roman generals had their bodies colored red to celebrate victories whilst the Ancient Egyptians and Mayans colored their faces red in ceremonies. Soviet Russia adopted a red flag following the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, later followed by China, Vietnam, and other communist countries.
