Crackdown On Opposition In Uganda Ahead Of Protests

Armed men in uniform lead a man to the back of a car — Bobi Wine accuses security forces of being “cowards” (Bobi Wine/X)

Uganda’s main opposition leader Bobi Wine says security forces have besieged his party headquarters in the capital Kampala on the eve of an anti-government demonstration.

Soldiers and police had converted the offices of the National Unity Platform (NUP) into “military barracks” and had “forcibly arrested” a number of party officials, he said.

Police have not confirmed the arrests but are said to have said they were taking “precautionary measures” to prevent “mobilization for the protest.”

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni warned on Saturday that organisers of the planned march on parliament were “playing with fire”.

Young Ugandan youth are mobilising online support for the march to demand an end to what they say are high levels of corruption and poor governance.

They are partly inspired by their colleagues in neighboring Kenya, whose recent mass protests forced their president to scrap plans for tax increases.

Bobi Wine, a former music star whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, denied that the NUP organised the protest in Uganda.

However, he said his party supports “any attempt to protest against injustice, corruption and misgovernance”.

In his speech on X, he accused the security forces of being “cowards” for also blocking the roads leading to the NUP offices in Kampala.

Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke told AFP news agency that the “activities of the NUP were a warning signal and we have taken precautionary measures”.

Bobi Wine is Museveni’s biggest rival, who has been in office for almost 40 years.

He is popular among young people and has been arrested several times.

He was first elected to parliament in 2017 and ran against Museveni in the 2021 elections, which were marked by state repression.

Meanwhile, protesters in Kenya have threatened to occupy the main international airport in the capital Nairobi on Tuesday.

The protesters are demanding the resignation of President William Ruto and justice for victims of police brutality.

At least 50 people have been killed and 413 injured since the protests began on June 18, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission for Human Rights.

On June 25, some protesters stormed the parliament building, set part of it on fire and stole the baton, the symbol of the legislature’s authority.

On Sunday, Mr Ruto said the protest organisers could not remain “anonymous” and should “come forward and tell us what this violence is going to bring”.

“Enough is enough,” he said.

Kenya’s main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has expressed solidarity with the protesters, saying justice must be given to the victims before talks can begin with the government.

Mr Odinga’s position could undermine Mr Ruto’s attempt to include opposition figures in his cabinet, which he hopes will put an end to youth-led protests.