Fred Enanga, the spokesman of the Uganda Police Force (UGF), says the 126 people arrested during a campaign by the presidential candidate of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi a.k.a Bobi Wine, will face a six-count charge.
The 126 were arrested last week in Kalangala District where Bobi Wine, 38, had gone to campaign.
The charges against them include the assault of police officers, incitement to violence, malicious damage to property, negligent acts likely to spread an infectious disease and inconsiderate use of a public road, among others.
Enanga said 99 of the suspects, who include members of Wine’s private security team, will appear at Masaka Magistrate’s Court on Monday; 25 others will be charged at Kalangala Chief Magistrate’s Court on the same charges after the Director Public Prosecutions (DPP) sanctioned their files.
Among the suspects is Wine’s singing partner, Ali Bukeni alias Nubian Li, and Mr Eddy Ssebufu aka Eddie Mutwe (Bobi Wine’s personal bodyguard).
The police spokesman said that they have registered several cases of defaced rival camps posters and intimidation of voters, particularly the young ones, women and the elderly.
“If you combine all these it can lead to acts of lawlessness and anarchy. Police will not allow such acts to continue. Those who are planning to harass voters on polling day will face the consequences. In some of the footage we have obtained, there are those warning women and elderly if they know they belong to rival camps. Therefore, as the joint security force, we continue to review this footage with the intention of apprehending the culprits,” he said.
Uganda holds its elections on January 14, 2020 to elect the President and the Parliament. Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country since 1986, is seeking re-election but former reggae singer Bobi Wine has emerged a strong contender for the post.
Already, Uganda has witnessed pre-election violence, the worst in the East African country in decades. More than 50 people were shot dead by security forces in over two days of protests that followed Wine’s arrest in November; days later police fired live bullets into Wine’s car during one of his campaigns.
Over the weekend, Wine -who has been detained three times in two months – described his country’s bitter and violent presidential election campaign as “a war and a battlefield”.
He said “… this campaign is crazy,” before adding “… every day, we are met with heavily armed military officers. It’s always teargas and grenades, live bullets and beatings.
“I am afraid and concerned every day. I fear for my life and the lives of my comrades in the struggle. The regime is after our lives. It’s after hurting and incapacitating us. Every day we live is as if it’s the last one.”
