Page 12 - Nile Explorer Issue 12

Leaders & Politics

Uganda

Votes,

January 14

Museveni on the campaigns

gandans will vote for a president different, but Museveni’s style remains He has been charged with intending to
Uon January 14th. The campaigns the same. Like he treated Kizza Byesigye, “alarm, annoy or ridicule” the president.
have been on since November 2021, in the same way he is treating Bobi Wine, He was also charged with inciting
a poisoned environment that cannot be arrests, disruption of political rallies, violence after being accused of calling
described as free, fair and democratic. killings of supporters and all manner of on his supporters to physically harm the
The Uganda security forces seem to police brutality. president.
have predetermined outcomes that they Byesigye is not in the race and is At least 15 million Ugandans will queue
cannot see any other way. supporting Kyagulanyi, who, going by in their respective polling stations to
Crowds are dispersed with tear gas and the politic tempo in the country leading choose their preferred leaders in the
bullets, over 60 people have died since to the January 14, polls, is not pushover— January 14 polls, and as always the
the campaigns became, t the hands of he is giving Museveni sleepless nights. greatest attention is focused on the
the police. Campaign meetings in the That the security forces have engaged presidential race.
capital are banned politically can be illustrated in the The last time this happened in 2016,
In power since 1986, former rebel fighter direct attacks, arrests and disruption many people suggested that President
Museveni has is running again, under of Robert Kyagulanyi’s campaigns. On Yoweri Museveni would be defeated by
his National Resistance Movement December 30 , for instance, Bobi Wine long-time opposition candidate Kizza
th
(NRM) party. In Uganda, the political was campaigning on an island in Lake Bessigye, Museveni retained his iron
establishment is closely intertwined Victoria. Police and soldiers waited grip on the country. And sure enough,
with the military, that hold significant for him. They stopped his convoy and he won by 65.75% against Besigye’s
influence on the state, and further has arrested members of his entourage. They 35.37%.
representation in parliament. threw tear gas grenades at journalists on The same thing is likely to happen in
In the coming presidential election, the scene, and then ordered them to stop 2021. Many commentators are excited
the strongest opposition presidential about the chances of Bobi Wine of the
aspirant is pop star and lawmaker using their phones. Mr Wine himself People Power party, Robert ‘Bobi Wine’
Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi was bundled into a helicopter: the police Kyagulanyi – especially since he formed
Wine, whose angry, political music has insisted they were not arresting him, but an opposition alliance with Kizza
made him a sensation. merely taking him home. “The candidate Besigye, who now leads the People’s
Other candidates include incumbent was restrained,” said a statement, “for Government, a Kampala-based pressure
President Yoweri Tibahaburwa Kaguta holding massive rallies amidst the group. However, there are good reasons
Museveni, 24-year-old John Katumba increased threat of coronavirus”. for believing that Museveni will hold on
and Nancy Linda Kalembe, the only Earlier , in November 2020, dozens of to power.
female candidate. his supporters were arrested as they While in the previous elections, claims of
Also in the race are former Security escorted him through the streets of voter bribery, intimidation and rigging
minister Henry Tumukunde, former Kampala when he was cleared by the were cited as the reasons for Museveni’s
army commander Mugisha Muntu, electoral commission to run in next has been winning, this time around the
Norbert Mao, Joseph Kabuleta Kiiza, year’s presidential election. global COVID-19 pandemic seem to
Patrick Amuriat Oboi, music pop star Since he expressed his presidential handed the ruling National Resistance
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Fred ambitions, police and the military have Movement (NRM) the best excuse to
Mwesigye and Willy Mayambala. repeatedly dispersed his rallies, and apply and enforce unfairly the public
Time and circumstances may be beaten and detained his supporters. health regulation on challengers.

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