Bobi Wine, the leader of Uganda’s opposition, called on Ugandans to “rise up peacefully and unarmed” in defiance of President Yoweri Museveni, who has controlled the East African nation for nearly four decades.
With 58 percent of the vote, the veteran leader was re-elected to a sixth term in January. Wine, who came in second with 35% and accused the election of being rigged, was his biggest opponent.
The singer-turned-lawmaker refused to consider the outcome and filed a legal appeal, claiming victory. However, the 39-year-old later withdrawn his petition, claiming that the judicial system was furnished in Museveni’s favor.
Wine, speaking at the Kampala headquarters of his National Unity Platform (NUP), said the time had come for public protests against Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.
“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,” said Wine, whose actual name is Robert Kyagulanyi.
“We invite you to march to your respective district offices and seek answers,” he said, without specifying a date for the protests.
“We call upon all the citizens who feel oppressed, the women whose sons are missing, the Ugandans who voted and your results were shortchanged, all the oppressed Ugandans, come out and peacefully demonstrate against that impunity,” Wine said.
However, Wine’s call for protests has been deemed illegal ahead of time by the police, who cautioned “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 made it known in a statement on Monday night.
According to Africanews, a police helicopter buzzed low over the NUP premises ahead of Wine’s announcement on Tuesday, with joint police and military patrols blocking many roads in Kampala
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