BOBI WINE: “It drains you when you do the right thing”

TWO ARTICLES about UGANDA were published in the New York Times on 11th April 2021, written by Abdi Latif Dahir, the East Africa correspondent for the NYT.

In the first article, Abdi wrote that “Bobi Wine was quick to admit that his increasingly lonely and uphill fight had left him psychologically and physically exhausted. ‘It drains you when you do the right thing,’ he said. Bobi Wine’s eyes were bloodshot from little sleep. When he spoke, his thoughts trailed off, and his sentences sometimes lacked the precision and eloquence he employed while running for president. At times, he forgot to sip his coffee, even after bringing the mug to his lips.”This is NOT surprising!! This makes it all the more urgent that the world takes notice and shows to Museveni that what is going on is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Bobi Wine needs the prayers and support of the world, as do other Ugandans living in fear of abduction and those being tortured in detention.

The second article, ‘Tell Us if He’s Dead’: Abductions and Torture Rattle Uganda, Abdi describes what opposition supporters are enduring. “Hundreds have been detained, many brutalized, after a bloody, contested election. The government of Yoweri Museveni appears intent on breaking the back of the opposition.”

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Bobi Wine’s bullet-proof vehicle

Ugandan NUP supporters in the diaspora raised enough money to provide Bobi Wine with a bullet-proof vehicle about two months ago. Clearly, Museveni didn’t like this and threatened to confiscate it! About three weeks ago, the URA (Uganda Revenue Authority) called for it to be brought back to them to reassess the import duty as they said they hadn’t realised it was bullet-proof and so hadn’t charged enough tax!!

However, there are sinister rumours that the real reason for calling it in was to place some sort of poison in it so that Bobi Wine dies in a way which won’t arouse public suspicion.

However Bobi Wine might die and no matter how “natural” it might seem, I think the public will always assume he has been killed by Museveni, just as they do about Archbishop Lwanga who died unexpectedly a few weeks ago. People don’t believe the post mortem report that the Archbishop died of a heart attack.

Increasingly, there are stories of people who are injected with some substance when they are abducted which makes them unconscious.

 

NUP MP Muhammad Ssegirinya has been released on bail

Muhammad Ssegirinya was roughly taken away in an unmarked vehicle several weeks ago and detained in the infamous Kitalya prison. He was accused of inciting people to violence because he gathered with others holding placards demanding the return of missing people abducted by the security forces.

Following his release on bail, he is now recovering in hospital.

 

Bobi Wine’s campaign team have been in Kitalya nearly four months and have always been refused bail when brought before military courts. They have all been tortured and mis-treated (along with so many others in that prison) and many are reportedly very sick.