Police announced Wednesday the immediate suspension of a national mobilisation campaign by Uganda’s main opposition party led by Bobi Wine, citing public order breaches and defamation against the president.
The National Unity Platform had official authorisation for the operation launched on September 2, a rare approval event in a country where opposition parties have been kept under tight control by President Yoweri Museveni since 1986.
Despite the announcement, Wine told AFP the mobilisation events around the country would go on, with the latest on Wednesday at Arua in the northwest.
“We are continuing with our mobilisation irrespective what Museveni using police can dismally do to stop our popularity”.
The police said, “In all areas where the NUP mobilisation activities have been carried out, there have been breaches… causing public disorder, unnecessary traffic jams, loss of business, malicious damage to property.”
They listed road accidents and one death at Hoima, in the west, and a gathering in central Uganda used to incite “violence, promote sectarianism, making illegitimate calls for the removal of an elected government and issuance of defamatory statements against the person of the president”.
“The activities of National Unity Platform are immediately suspended.”
Wine, a former singer whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, said he had expected the ban.
“We are continuing with our mobilisation irrespective (of) what Museveni using police can dismally do to stop our popularity,” said the president’s leading rival at his last re-election in 2021.
Wine has been repeatedly arrested and 54 people died during a pre-election campaign meeting broken up by security forces.
The next presidential ballot is due in 2026. Museveni, 78, has yet to say if he will stand again.
