Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine has defended his decision to take all his four children abroad ahead of next week’s general elections.
Bobi Wine’s children on Wednesday left for USA aboard Qatar Airways something which sparked mixed reactions among Ugandans.
Some critics interpreted the move, as sheer betrayal of the revolution by putting his family ahead of other families left in the country as most parents worry about the safety of their children if the election is not settled by the ballots in the box.
Whereas others supported his decision saying that any good and caring parent should do exactly that given the fact that his life and that of his family members may be in danger due to his critical role against government.
Speaking about his decision on Thursday morning, Bobi Wine said his family has endured a lot of challenges orchestrated by President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
He says, his children have been living in constant fear for the past three years and on several occasions, cars have been trailing them to and from school.
“Friends, I have seen regime enforcers and propagandists trying to question the travel of my children out of the country as we get close to the election! Of course everyone knows that their statements are not born out of genuineness, but out of their usual schemes to diminish our resolve to remove their corrupt regime. Firstly, the nation is aware of the challenges my family has endured from the time I decided to take on the dictatorship of Gen. Yoweri Museveni. My children have lived in constant fear over the past three years. On several occasions, the cars which trail us have been trailing them, even to and from school. Last year, there was a direct attack on a car transporting two of them from school, forcing us to change their schools, and try to strengthen security around them,” the musician turned politician said in a Facebook post.
Bobi Wine also revealed that for most of last year, his family members have been living as prisoners and he also received information from the sources within the system, that the regime was planning to kidnap and cause physical harm to his children.
“For most of this year, they have largely lived as prisoners; very rarely leaving home. As we near the election, I received credible information from sources within the system of plans by the regime to cause physical harm to them! You all recall that in 2017, at the height of the Age Limit debate, they threw grenades at my son, Solomon Sekayi’s bed room window, and left a message that I should back off, or the consequences would be dire. The regime has made it a deliberate plot to attack me, and when they don’t, attack those who are close to me so as to demoralise me! There is nothing Museveni is not ready to do in order to stay in power against the will of Ugandans!
That is why therefore, when I received information of pending physical attacks on me, my wife and kidnap of our children, friends in the diaspora reached out to us, offered to host them for a while! That does not mean that me or my wife are any safer by remaining around. But our effort is to ensure they don’t kidnap one of these minors and try to use them to coerce us into subjugation!,” he added.
The Kyadondo East Member of Parliament also lashed out at the unprofessional immigration staff which shared the confidential travel information of minors with the public.
“The regime propagandists should be very ashamed. In a free and democratic country, no body should live in fear simply because they oppose the government in power. In a free country, a presidential candidate would never have to wear a bullet-proof jacket and helmet in order to go for campaigns!That is the country we are struggling to build. Gen. Museveni should even be more ashamed that 35 years later, children have to yet again run away from their country over fears of vengeful attacks!You can also see the unprofessional conduct of the immigration staff who went ahead to share confidential travel information of minors with the public. None of our institutions is independent. Every part of government is being (mis)used and abused by the regime, that’s the country we are living in.”
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