On 13th September 2023, the Uganda Police Force suspended the National Unity Platform’s (NUP) nationwide mobilization activities until further notice due to repeated breaches of guidelines. The suspension followed an array of incidents, including public disorder, traffic jams, property damage, and a fatal accident linked to the political party’s mobilization activities as per the report by the police.
The Police, under its mandate to regulate public meetings per section 32(1) of the Police Act, previously gave NUP permission to conduct these activities nationwide and to open party offices. Alongside this permission, the Police issued guidelines detailing suitable conduct for these activities, which included obtaining permissions from venue owners, holding gatherings in town halls or similar enclosed areas, and prohibiting processions, demonstrations, unregulated rallies, and acts of incitement to violence. While the Police expressed their support for the rights of individuals and groups to peacefully assemble and voice their views on public policy matters, they have raised concerns about the NUP’s adherence to these guidelines.
In their press release, the Police cited several instances of the NUP’s breach of guidelines. In Mbarara City, NUP supporters allegedly vandalized a Toyota Hiace, causing significant disturbances. A fatal traffic accident occurred in Hoima City on 11th September 2023 during a NUP convoy, resulting in the death of an individual named Mugisa Norman and serious injuries to ten others.
Further issues arose in the Kasana-Luweero District, where the NUP’s mobilization activity was used to incite violence, promote sectarianism, call illegitimately for the removal of the elected government, and make defamatory statements against the President of the Republic of Uganda and General Muhoozi Keinerugaba.
This particular incident in Luwero has raised a suitability question regarding the person of Bobi Wine for the Presidency of this country. In the highly uncalled for outburst, Mr Kyagulanyi, among others, castigates members of a certain ethnic group for settling in Buganda and owning land there. He also lambasted the government of President Museveni over what he suggested is a deliberate policy to keep his people in poverty. Mr Wine also referred to a certain tribe of people as being foreigners with no legal claim to the citizenship of Uganda.
Now, let’s deeply analyse this message and its far reaching impact on Uganda as a whole and its people. First of all, the reference to some people as outsiders appears to be in complete disregard of the constitution which clearly stipulates what makes one a Ugandan. According to the 1995 constitution, one is bona-fide citizen of this country by birth, registration, origin or even naturalisation. In the case of Wine’s concern, he seems to disregard the fact that most, and all the people he calls foreigners were born in the country and their ancestors too and are named in the constitution as Ugandans. It therefore begs the question on what will await this category of people should his group gain power( God forbid)? Will they be sent out as Refugees?
Secondly is the case for Ugandans whose ancestry can not be traced anywhere in Africa, such as, those with Asian or Eurpean, American origin. Will they also be caged and dropped in the Nile for having their roots outside the country? What about border tribes with relatives across the border such as the Samias of Busia? Will they need to go to Kenya and join their family relatives who were left the other side during the colonial scramble?
Most significantly is about personal, unprincipled attacks on the personnel President Museveni and his family throughout Mr Wine’s countrywide tours. Ordinarily, anyone attending such a political rally would have expected to hear about alternative policies to what you want to portray as ones. When you reduce it to personal grievance settlement, it depicts a loss of focus. Besides, if anyone may ask, what’s there that’s personal between President Museveni and would call for ridiculing his entire family and race? What about Genersl Muhoozi who Mr Kyagulanyi seems hell bent on depicting as a less human being worth no single grain of liberty to express himself in this country. Surprisingly, Muhoozi has not held any contest with Bobi Wine unlike his father who defeated him at an election. If the pain is all about Muhoozi’s rumoured political ambition, one would only expect an explanation of one’s contribution to the country in relation to Muhoozi’s.
The foul language in Luwero and the rest of the places Wine has been to has already attracted its due share of castigation that repeating the same would cause monotony but there are very significant lessons to learn. This country belongs to all of us and whoever comes forward to aspire for leadership should harbour that in their mind. We have come from very far, a troubled past, as mentioned in the preamble of our constitution, that we can not afford to be pulled back into the abbys of sectarianism. If there are a few things that have not been done to perfection according to anyone, they should rather propose better alternatives than preparing us for more bloodbath, an era we have progressed way past.
As for me, and all sane thinking Ugandans I believe, we shall at all times stick to what brings us together over what devides us. What works towards what consolidates the gains of our sweat and that of our fore fathers over what pushes to demolish any foundation built so we start all over again, from zero. Because those are the true heroes upon whose hardware we can trust the foundations of this great nation to be strengthened.
The Writer is the Deputy RCC for Soroti East Division.
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