Tired despot Gen. Museveni, in power for 35 years. Photo: Facebook.
The high court in Kampala today ordered Police and Military operatives to vacate the home of member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi, a.k.a. Bobi Wine, the presumed winner of Uganda’s Jan. 14 presidential election marred by mass killings and rigging by Gen. Yoweri Museveni, the country’s dictator of 35 years.
Bobi Wine has been under illegal house arrest since Jan. 14, soon after he had finished casting his vote. The Military presence at his home kept increasing, and visitors turned away include the U.S Ambassador to Uganda, Natalie E. Brown. Bobi Wine filed an emergency motion with the High Court.
Justice Micheal Elubu today ordered security operatives to vacate Bobi Wine’s home with immediate effect or to take him to an authorized detention center if he committed any crime and faced charges. He also ordered Bobi Wine to observe Covid-19 standard operating procedures when his freedom and liberties are restored.
“Having found, as I do, that the restrictions imposed on the applicant are unlawful, it is hereby ordered that they are lifted. Consequently, an order for the restoration of the personal liberty of the applicant hereby issued. Otherwise his continued detention at his home is illegal and an infringement on his personal liberties,” Justice Elubu said in a ruling read on his behalf by the deputy registrar Jamson Karemani.
Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police spokesperson has promised to ensure that the orders are executed. “As a law abiding institution and an institution which respects and upholds the law in our country, we are going to abide by the court ruling. However, we urge the National Unity Platform (NUP) president to also abide by the provisions of the court ruling and strictly observe the Covid-19 SOPs as guided by the court. As Ugandan, he has an obligation to abide by and observe rule of law. However, as a prerogative of the police, we shall maintain our surveillance just to ensure that he doesn’t break the law during this period because we have to ensure that the security situation is maintained” Enanga told journalists. NUP is the political party headed by Bobi Wine.
History repeats itself. Similar orders were given to security forces in 2016 to vacate Dr. Kizza Besigye’s home in Kasangati but they were defied, and he spent more three months under house arrest. On that occasion Gen. Museveni had stolen the election from Besigye, who ran under the banner of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The Majority leader of the U.S House of Representatives, Steny Hoyer, has also added his voice to those of Senator Bob Menendez, and Senator Chris Coons, both of whom have called for sanctions on senior Ugandan military and political officials. “The Ugandan government continues to use state security in a partisan manner to harass and intimidate its citizens, press, and political opposition. Mr. Museveni’s tactics towards those who advocate for an inclusive democracy is dangerous & must be addressed by the global community,” Mr. Hoyer tweeted on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile fresh evidence of overwhelming election fraud continues to emerge since partial restoration of the internet last week. The regime had imposed a total blackout two days before the vote to provide data darkness during its election theft.
“We appreciate all those who have sent us overwhelming evidence of Electoral malpractice and DR forms from the recently concluded presidential election. You will be shocked at how fraudulent the January 14th election was when we finally share our collection soon. In the meantime, please keep those guanine DR forms and videos coming on +256701458299,” Kyagulanyi posted on Facebook.
DR forms refers to the official Declaration of Returns forms signed by agents of all the presidential candidates from polling stations. Returns from 4,000 out of the more that 34,000 polling stations posted by
the voting app, Uvote App, shows Bobi Wine leading Gen. Museveni 72% to 25%. Uvote will be posting more returns in the coming days as its tallying center receives data now that some internet access is restored.
