Bobi Wine’s Mobilization Rally in Mukono Proceeds Amid Clashes with Police

National Unity Platform (NUP) Chairman Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine on Wednesday successfully held his first mobilization rally in Mukono District amid some clashes with the police.
Unlike the first two mobilization tours – one in Kamuli and the other in Pallisa – in eastern Uganda, which were blocked by the police, the Mukono tour was carried out successfully with minimal police interventions, such as changing the location of the manifestation.

Before converging at Ntawo playground for the main rally, Mr Kyagulanyi’s entourage, including opposition leader Joel Ssenyonyi, and a crowd of party lawmakers first toured the district opening party offices and greeting the ecstatic spectators and supporters in several municipalities.
He entered Mukono via Gayaza-Kalagi Road and commissioned party offices in Kalagi Municipality for the Mukono North constituency. From there, he proceeded to Mukono township along Kalagi-Mukono road for the mega rally at Ntawo playground. However, this was a departure from the previous program where the NUP leader was supposed to visit the Nakifuma constituency, Walusibi and cross into the Mukono South constituency to the Katosi landing site on the shores of Lake Victoria to address the fishing community.

The only blockade by the police occurred in the heart of Mukono town, where Kyagulanyi was planning to open party offices. This sparked a verbal exchange between the police and NUP leaders, but the latter eventually agreed and used another route to access Ntawo. Kyagulanyi’s convoy was marooned in Nasuuti village along Kayunga Road, a few kilometers from Mukono town centre, where he was due to open party offices in Kavule-Nabuuti. Security officers set up roadblocks and roadblocks and forced the convoy to make a U-turn and use another road in the town to connect with Ntawo.

Despite the police blockade, thousands of euphoric supporters lined the sides of the roads to see the former presidential candidate while others followed his convoy on foot.
In Nasuuti, Kyagulanyi blamed security officials for blocking him and yet they met with the Force’s top brass on Monday and agreed on a set of guidelines.

“We are not criminals, we follow and obey the laws, our team met with the police and reached an agreement to allow us to carry out these mobilization tours and rallies,” he said.

Kyagulanyi said his freedom to tour the country is being infringed and other political actors are free to move and hold demonstrations.

“We are not fighting against you, but we are fighting for you to get better payments/salaries,” Kyagulanyi told police officers.
This came after Kampala Metropolitan East regional police commander Joab Wabwire accused NUP leaders of going against the agreed terms.
“The officers remain calm and do not allow themselves to be provoked to fire tear gas because they are Ugandans happy to carry out their mandate. We only insist that they use the route approved by our security team and go to the main location,” Mr Wabwire was heard tell your team.

Instead, he asked Mr Kyagulanyi and his entourage to take the Nsambwe route via Nakabago to Ntawo playground, to which they agreed.
According to Ssenyonyi, during the harmonization meeting they agreed to open party offices in Kavule-Nabuuti and hold a final rally in Njogezi, not Ntawo as ordered by the police.
“We are not heading to the final location without the public address system, Njogezi is the location for our final demonstration as agreed and we are surprised that the police are directing us to another location,” Mr Ssenyonyi said.
He asked his followers to remain calm.

At the Ntawo rally, Kyagulanyi criticized the government for imposing heavy taxes on traders but investing so little in service delivery.
“This country is very rich but it is drowning in poverty due to the enormous public administration and corruption. Museveni alone spends Sh2 billion a day from the taxes he collects from you (citizens) but does nothing to improve your lives,” he said.

On Friday, Kyagulanyi is expected to make his mobilization tour to Masaka, an NUP stronghold and backyard of his friend-turned-political adversary and former opposition leader, Mathias Mpuuga.
On Tuesday, Internal Affairs Minister General Kahinda Otafiire warned new police leaders not to disrupt lawful opposition political meetings, saying this paints the Force as partisan.

“Don’t break the law. Don’t go around beating Kyagulanyi… Besigye (Kizza), who are in the opposition. Don’t beat them for having opposing ideas,” General Otafiire said at the police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, during the swearing-in of Abbas Byakagaba as the new Inspector General of Police and his deputy, Mr James Ocaya. .