Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Unity Platform presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine has said two of his gardeners were arrested and his security guard badly beaten by security operatives who raided his home Tuesday morning.
“This morning two of my gardeners were arrested and my security guard was badly beaten,” Bobi Wine told the media at Hotel Africana on Tuesday. He was joined with other opposition presidential candidates including; the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC’s) Patrick Amuriat Oboi, the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT’s) Mugisha Muntu and for time presidential candidates Dr Kizza Besigye; as the jointly addressed the media as “forces of change”.
Bobi Wine had earlier tweeted: “The army has this morning raided my home, arrested all my security guards and anyone they could see around my premises. No reason for the arrest was given. Such acts of impunity are all kicks of a dying horse.”
Dr Kizza Besigye addresses the media at Hotel Africana on Tuesday. Photo | Rachel Mabala
The 38-year-old popularly known as the “ghetto president” who hung up the mike to enter politics, added that one of his personal assistants was also violently arrested after security operatives raided his home.
“One of my personal assistants Davie Bwanika’s home was raided in the night, broken into and he was violently arrested by the army and driven to an unknown destination. I know they’ll do more of such and worse but we shall not give up,” Bobi Wine said adding: “Gen Museveni needs to tell the world what he intends to do in this election is to arrest my entire campaign team, my assistants, and supporters.”
However, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Mr Patrick Onyango refuted Bobi Wine’s claims saying police had only gone there to pick checkpoints that had earlier been put on the road leading to his home to provide security to him.
“We have seen baseless information being circulated by Hon Robert Kyagulanyi on social media that his home was this morning raided and his bodyguards arrested. We would like to state that there was no raid and arrests made at his residence. Bobi does not allow police bodyguards to enter his compound whether during day or night. Police had to find means of securing and providing security to him by erecting checkpoints on the routes leading to his home. Today, these checkpoints were removed as we are rearranging our security,” he tweeted.
A total of 49 supporters of NUP have been arraigned before the army court in Kampala and charged with illegal possession of four rounds of ammunition after their arrest in Kalanga District on December 30, 2020.
The prosecution states that the 49 suspects and others still at large on January 3, at Makerere Kavule Kigundu zone, were found in possession of four rounds of ammunition which is a monopoly of the defence forces.
These were part of the 126 suspects who were arraigned in the Masaka Magistrates Court and charged with six counts including; assault of police officers, incitement to violence, malicious damage, doing a negligent act likely to spread an infectious disease and inconsiderate use of a public road, among others.
They were remanded until January 19, 2021 when they will re-appear for mention of the case.
Uganda goes to the polls on Thursday January 14, 2021.
