Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine says troopers raided his dwelling two days earlier than essential vote.
Opposition figures in Uganda criticised widespread violence by safety forces forward of Thursday’s presidential election as foremost challenger Bobi Wine stated troopers raided his dwelling and beat two safety guards.
“The fear, frankly, is unprecedented,” stated Kizza Besigye, a veteran opposition chief who challenged longtime President Yoweri Museveni in 4 elections. “Violence, terror appear to be scaled up with each coming election. This election has witnessed untold violence. It will get worse and worse by the day.”
Patrick Onyango, police spokesman for the capital Kampala, denied Wine’s dwelling had been raided or that anybody was arrested, saying: “We have been simply rearranging our safety posture within the space close to his dwelling, particularly eradicating some checkpoints.”
Wine, a preferred singer and politician whose actual identify is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, spoke alongside different opposition figures in Kampala on the final day of campaigning as they search to disclaim Museveni one other time period.
The environment is more and more charged. The army is in command of all safety operations within the Kampala metropolitan space.
Wine, who insisted his marketing campaign is nonviolent, urged his supporters to not be intimidated by the safety forces.
At 38, Wine is half the age of Museveni and has attracted a big following amongst younger folks in a nation the place 80 p.c of the inhabitants is below 30.
He’s thought-about the frontrunner amongst 10 candidates difficult the previous insurgent chief who seized energy in 1986.
Whereas safety forces have cracked down on the opposition at earlier polls, the run-up to this yr’s vote has been particularly violent. In November, 54 folks have been killed as troopers and police quelled protests after Wine was imprisoned.
Wine stated the raid on his compound in Kampala and the arrest of his guards occurred whereas he was doing an interview with Kenya’s Sizzling 96 FM radio station.
“I’ve to finish the interview as a result of I can see troopers beating my safety guards,” he stated.
Stopping vote rigging
Wine and different main opposition candidates stated that they had launched a concerted effort to guard in opposition to vote rigging at polling stations.
They’re urging their supporters to remain inside 100 metres of polling stations slightly than return dwelling because the electoral fee is demanding. Which means potential confrontations with safety forces.
Police and army personnel now patrol the streets in elements of Kampala.
Ugandan authorities additionally appeared to close down Fb on Tuesday in retaliation over its determination to censor many Ugandan accounts linked to Museveni that have been allegedly engaged in inauthentic behaviour.
Many Ugandans stated WhatsApp additionally was not working.
A presidential spokesman on Monday accused Fb of meddling within the East African nation’s election.
A spokesman for the Uganda Communications Fee, the regulator, didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Ugandan authorities have asserted an pressing want to stop the unfold of the coronavirus in imposing restrictions on presidential candidates, together with a ban on campaigns in Kampala and different city areas.
Many amongst Wine’s marketing campaign workforce at the moment are in jail. Wine has been arrested many instances and generally crushed previously yr for alleged offences comparable to disobeying lawful orders. He has not been convicted of any fees.
Museveni has accused Wine of being “an agent of overseas pursuits”. The septuagenarian chief has defied requires his retirement, saying he has been elected many instances by Ugandans who love him.
Ugandan polls are sometimes marred by allegations of rigging. The nation has by no means seen a peaceable switch of energy since independence from Britain in 1962.