Police in Uganda Monday arrested legislator and presidential hopeful Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine as he tried to launch consultative meetings for his 2021 presidential bid.
Last week Uganda’s electoral body gave Bobi Wine the all clear to consult with the electorate on whether he should push on with his presidential ambitions for next year’s general elections.
However as his team tried to set up the venue for the meeting at a playground in Gayaza a few kilometres from his home police cordoned off the area and stopped the organisers.
Bobi Wine tried to access the venue but was arrested together with his supporters and lawyers and taken to Kasangati police post where he was detained briefly before being whisked to Nagalama police station.
Although Bobi Wine had received the green light from the Electoral Commission to carry out nationwide consultations as section III of the Presidential Elections Act, police insist that the legislator had not fulfilled several requirements provided for in the Public Order Management Act.
“If these people were to hold a meeting here they should have come and we co-coordinator with them to make a traffic plan, to make a risk assessment, they should also have requested from security of their participants which they have not done” Edson Muhangi the District police commander Kasangati said.
Edson said there was no adequate provision of emergency response capabilities like ambulances for evacuation, fire and rescue services and on spot first aid.
“We have not planned with them and they are expecting 2,000 people. Without these people can die from here. As police we are mandated to protect life and property and so that’s why we are not going to allow them” the police official added.
According to the police, the meeting is supposed to be held indoors and not in a playground.
Meanwhile a scuffle ensued between security officers and Bobi Wine’s supporters which paralysed business in some of the venues for the meetings.
Police had to use teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the youth who were demanding for Bobi Wine’s immediate release.
His supporters have however pledged to stick to their planned nationwide consultation meetings despite his detention.
CN/as/APA