Africa-Press – Uganda. The Minister of ICT and national guidance, Ms Judith Nabakooba said Sunday that government had received information that “some people” are planning to “shut down the country between February 3 and 7, 2021.
“Some people” the minister did not name are reportedly intimidating taxi drivers and the public against being on the road and places of work during the said days.
“We have received information that there are some people planning to cause chaos between the 3rd and 7th February 2021,” she said.
“They are moving around spreading harmful propaganda that the country will shut down during those days. They are intimidating taxi drivers and the public against being on the road and places of work during those days. I call upon anyone to disassociate themselves from this evil plan. The country is safe and security will work fast to arrest anyone planning to create chaos,” Ms Nabakooba added in a statement on her twitter account.
Call for non-violent means
The minister’s statement comes amid growing calls against the use of violence to express dissatisfaction following highly contested January 14 presidential and Parliament elections.
Mr Yoweri Museveni, 76, was on January 16, declared winner of the presidential election with 58 percent while his biggest opponent Robert Kyagulanyi who was disputed the results from a “sham election” got 35 percent of the votes cast, according to EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama.
The musician turned politician has urged his supporters to reject the results but has not spelt out how.
He has stopped short of calling for protests as his party vows to resist the outcome using every legal means possible.
His home was on the day after elections surrounded by security forces who confined him there until court early this week ordered them to vacate.
Fear and resignation
But in the Kampala suburbs that threw their support behind the political upstart – National Unity Platform (NUP) won eight of the city’s nine constituencies – the path forward is anything but clear.
Some cling to faith that Bobi Wine, will launch the non-violent protest he promised should the opposition deem the election to be unfair.
This publication understands his lawyers are scheduled to file an election petition in the Supreme Court tomorrow (February 1, 2021).
Museveni, a former rebel leader, has ruled without interruption since 1986, and most Ugandans in the overwhelmingly young nation have never known anyone else in power.
The veteran leader has survived other popular challenges to his 35-year rule, from dogged campaigning by long-time opposition leader Kizza Besigye, to large-scale public demonstrations against rising prices in 2011.
He also has a loyal and powerful security apparatus at his disposal, one not afraid to use bullets to put down protests. In November, over two days of demonstrations against Bobi Wine’s arrest, at least 54 people were shot dead.
Vote rigging allegations
Bobi Wine claims to have ample evidence of ballot box stuffing and other forms of vote rigging, but an internet shutdown thwarted efforts to make this public. The blackout was lifted early this week but further proof of irregularities has not been formally released by his party.
The electoral commission said last Thursday it was investigating the veracity of videos circulating on social media showing what appeared to be pre-ticked votes being shoved into ballot boxes.
“In Uganda, once a leader is announced, no amount of protest will change the results. It will be a waste of time to protest,” said Beatrice Namuli, a 40-year-old housewife with three children.
“Even when Bobi goes to court, the results will not change. Better to wait for Museveni’s five years to end, and when he comes back to contest we will support him.”
