Ugandan security forces confined pop star-turned-opposition leader Bobi Wine to his home as the East African nation prepares to inaugurate President Yoweri Museveni, who’s been in power for 35 years.
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, said on Twitter his house was surrounded by police and army forces. The headquarters of his National Unity Platform party is also surrounded, party spokesman Joel Ssenyonyi said on Twitter.
Police have issued a statement warning Bobi Wine saying they have intel that the former presidential candidate was planning to swear in himself.
“The Joint Task Force is aware of plans by Former Presidential Candidate, who lost the recent Presidential Election, to hold a parallel and illegitimate swearing-in ceremony, in one of the Hotels in Iganga. The Candidate continues together with some of his supporters to declare himself as the President-Elect. We want to remind him and his supporters that the voices of the electorate were clearly heard. He is therefore, not the legitimate or duly Elected President of the People of Uganda. As a potential leader, we urge him to play his politics with full respect for the rule of law,” the police say.
The statement adds, “We know that such Kangaroo inaugurations are not uncommon with runners up in the previous Presidential Elections. It simply remains symbolic without the accompanying entitlements and privileges of a legitimate Head of State.”
They have also any judicial officer, organiser and or media house that will participate in covering the illegitimate parallel swearing-in in Iganga or any other place, to prepare to face the consequences.
“Such acts of impunity must stop in exchange for rule of law. It is illegal and treasonous,” the police say.