In a powerful testament to the film’s message and impact, Uganda’s opposition leader Bobi Wine’s documentary “The People’s President” received the prestigious Audience Choice Award at the 17th annual Cinema Eye Honors in New York. The ceremony, held at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem, celebrated excellence in nonfiction filmmaking.
“The People’s President,” which chronicles Bobi Wine’s journey in the Ugandan political landscape, has garnered significant recognition since its release. Previously, it was shortlisted for the Oscars and earned the title of best feature documentary of 2023 at the International Documentary Association Awards.
Upon receiving the Audience Choice Award, Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, expressed both surprise and deep gratitude. He emphasized that the film’s purpose was not to win awards, but rather to document the ongoing struggle for freedom in Uganda. “We have won the Audience Choice Award at the Cinema Eye Honors 2024 in New York. Grateful to the team that has been involved in the making of the Documentary film since 2017. The struggle continues!” he tweeted.
He dedicated the award to his friend John Bosco Kibalama and others who have disappeared at the hands of Ugandan security forces. This poignant gesture underscored the film’s connection to human rights and the fight for justice.
The Cinema Eye Honors, established in 2007, celebrates independent, nonfiction filmmaking by recognizing both the creative teams behind the films and the artistic excellence within the genre. They specifically focus on feature and short-length films aimed for public distribution through various channels.
Jose Chameleone’s brother Humphrey Mayanjahas angered a section of Ugandans when he publicly announced he was voting for Diamond Platnumz in the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).
Diamond has been nominated alongside Bebe Cool in the same category – Best Male Artist in Eastern Africa. Kenya’s Kagwe Mungai, Nyashinski and Khaligraph Jones have also been nominated in the same category.
Best Male Artist in Eastern Africa
Bebe Cool – Uganda – Freedom
Diamond Platnumz – Tanzania – A Boy from Tandale
Harmonize – Tanzania – Kwangwaru
Kagwe Mungai – Kenya – Till the End
Khaligraph Jones – Kenya – Rider
Nyashinski – Kenya – Bebi Bebi
Rayvanny – Tanzania – Makulusa
Yamiu Mola – Ethiopia – Wegegta
Provocative move
Humphrey Mayanja deliberately provoked section of Ugandans by showing them how he was voting. Humphrey is Bobi Wine’s fan and as such he deliberately wanted to show Bebe Cool the middle finger.
Rapper Octopizzo hosted Ugandan firebrand politician Bobi Wine at the Kamkunji Grounds in Kibera slums on Monday October 15th.
The rally attracted a huge crowd that filled Kamkunji Grounds to capacity. Embakasi East MP lawmaker Babu Owino and Boniface Mwangi were among those who were in attendance.
Octopizzo, Bobi Wine and Boniface Mwangi in KiberaOctopizzo and Bobi Wine address a huge crowd at Kibera’s Kamkunji groundsOctopizzo and Bobi Wine have a chit chat at Kamkunji grounds, Babu Owino is seated next to the Uganda politician
Politics, not my cup of tea
Some Kenyans on Twitter called on Octopizzo to join politics after hosting a successful rally at his hood in Kibera. The rapper however made it clear he has no interest of joining politics.
“Staki kua MP Not all Leaders are politicians and all politicians aren’t Leaders, Artists should be the mouth piece or mirror of their communities & should always be aware of their social challenges, & am using my platforms to address & bring to attention the challenges,” Octopizzo tweeted.
Ugandan artiste-cum-MP Bobi Wine has denied that he faked injuries as his longtime nemesis Bebe Cool had claimed in an interview.
Speaking to Word Is, Wine said that Bebe Cool has turned against his fans who made him and joined the government which is after oppressing its citizens.
“Bebe cool is Ugandan like me, a father to his kids like me. He is still in the country that we are trying to fix. It is the taxpayer’s money that is being ditched in huge sums. I get disappointed because the people who made him are the same [people] he is fighting. I only hope that one day, he will realise and learn to use his voice well. I pray that he realises he can use it better.” he said. Not real Bebe Cool, in an interview with NTV Uganda, claimed that journalists failed to analyse Wine properly and to realize that he was pretending.
“The media, NTV, you have cameras. Watching this young man (Bobi Wine) getting onto the car after court, he held the car with one arm and raised the other arm with the crutches. What was down here? Was he in the air or standing on his feet?” said Bebe Cool then
Adding: “Media, you look at a man wearing the heaviest shoe in life, one that even people who are not sick cannot move freely with. It’s because it is too heavy and media still don’t analyse that.”
Singer turned activist Bobi Wine has appreciated how Kenyans supported him in his recent fight for Ugandans. The Kyadondo East MP landed in Kenya on his way back to Uganda and got a massive welcome from Kenyans recently.
He was coming from the US where he had gone for treatment after the government of Uganda tortured him. They also killed his driver.
Support
The musician was later detained sparking off protests against his detention and torture on social media under the hashtag #freebobiwine and offline demos in Uganda as well as Busia and Nairobi in Kenya.
In his statement message, he thanked Kenyans for supporting him through all that tough period.
“I will quickly remind you about our Swahili speaking brothers across Africa who stood with us. In a special way, I would like to appreciate the Kenyan brothers and sisters. The Kenyan legislators who stood with us, the Kenyan artistes and the Kenyan writers. That was a reminder that you have always stood with us all throughout history but am glad that you are still standing with us even at this defining point in our history as Ugandans,” Bobi said during a press conference in Uganda.
Bobi Wine touched down at Entebbe airport aboard Kenya Airways flight KQ412 on Thursday September 20th. He was arrested and quickly whisked into an army vehicle.
The firebrand MP was driven to Kasangati police station where he was briefly held before being taken to his home, police made sure he remained there.
Bobi Wine as he prepares to disembark from the KQ plane
Mr Nice, the darling of Ugandan police
Onetime Bongo superstar Mr Nice is living large in Kampala, he has been accorded police escort whenever he moves around the city.
Mr Nice first relocated to Kenya in 2015 before he decided to settle in Uganda this year. The singer allowed Millard Ayo to film his life in Kampala and boy, even the most successful musician in Kenya will envy him.
Ugandan police have given Mr Nice two police chase cars, the singer moves around Kampala city in a convoy of at least three vehicles – a Range Rover which carries him and two police chase cars that sandwich his car.
Bobi Wine is recuperating at a hospital in America, he was finally allowed to traveled outside Uganda after all the drama that followed the violence in Arua on 13th August.
The Kyadondo East MP took to social media to narrate the events that followed after Museveni’s car was stoned in Arua during the last day of the campaigns.
WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN ARUA? MY STORY!
Fellow Ugandans, friends and well-wishers from around the world,
I am sorry, I have taken a bit long to write to you about the trials and tribulations, for which you all stood with me. It’s been tough days, as I recover from the physical and mental trauma I endured. I am overwhelmed by your support and words of encouragement. I cannot repay you in any other way, except sticking to those values which bind all of us together- justice, equality and human dignity.
I will be communicating more in the coming days and where possible send my appreciation to the different individuals and organizations. In this post however, I want to recount what exactly happened to me. I am very grateful to my wife Barbie, and my lawyers who narrated to the world these events, but I also wanted to tell this sad story PERSONALLY. I felt more compelled to speak out after reading the many posts written by President Museveni and other government officials about what happened.
I read the things they were saying while I was in detention, and found them absurd to say the least. I was shocked on how they tried to downplay the atrocities committed by security agencies on innocent citizens.
So let me set the record straight.
It was 13th August and it was the last day of campaigns in the Arua municipality by-election. As always we had a great campaign day. As I left the rally, I was convinced that our candidate Hon. Kassiano Wadri would win the election. So we moved from the rally at about 5:30pm and the people followed us, singing songs of freedom and chanting “People Power – Our Power.” Together with Hon. Kassiano and a few other leaders, we parted with the multitude, bade them farewell and went into Royal hotel where Hon. Wadri was staying.
We watched the 7:00pm news from the hotel lobby as we took tea and took stock of the day’s events. It was of course very exciting to watch that day’s news. The anchor said we were clearly ahead of the other candidates and the television relayed images of the massive rally and procession we had had on that day. Shortly after, I decided to move to Pacific hotel where I was staying so as to rest after the very busy day. It was at that point that I sat in my tundra vehicle, in the co-driver’s seat. The gentleman who was driving the tundra that day is one of our drivers (not Yasin). He moved out of the vehicle to call other team members who were supposed to drive with us. He took a bit long and I moved into my other vehicle (a land cruiser) which was right next to the tundra and whose driver was already seated on the driver’s seat. We immediately set off for Pacific hotel as the tundra drove behind us. I did not even see what happened after or how late Yasin ended up on my seat in the tundra. For clarity, he had been driving another vehicle that day.
I had started taking the stairs to my room when this driver came running to say that Yasin Kawuma had been shot. I could not believe it. I asked him where he was and he told me they were parked outside the hotel. We paced down and I saw with my own eyes, my friend and comrade Yasin, giving way as he bled profusely. I quickly asked a team member to take him to hospital and another to call the police. We had not stepped away from that place when angry looking SFC soldiers came, beating up everyone they could see.
Bobi Wine’s driver shot dead
As soon as they saw me, they charged saying “there he is” in Swahili. So many bullets were being fired and everyone scampered to safety. I also ran up into the hotel with a throng of people who had gathered around. Inside the hotel, I entered a random room and locked myself in. It is at that point that my media assistant shared with me Yasin’s picture which I tweeted because the world needed to know what was going on.
I could hear the people outside and in the hotel corridors crying for help. I could also hear the soldiers pulling these helpless people past the room in which I was, saying all sorts of profanities to them while beating them mercilessly.
I stayed in the room for a long time. At some point, I heard soldiers pull some woman out of her room and ask her which room Bobi Wine had entered. The woman wailed saying she didn’t know and what followed were terrible beatings. I could hear her cry and plead for help as she was being dragged down the stairs. Up to now, that is one experience that haunts me; that I could hear a woman cry for help, yet I was so vulnerable and helpless. I could not help her.
I stayed put for some hours, and I could hear the soldiers come every few minutes, bang some doors on my floor or other floors and go away. At different times I would sleep off, but was always rudely awakened by the banging of doors and the impatient boots that paced throughout the hotel for the whole night. In the wee hours of the morning, the soldiers started breaking doors of the different hotel rooms. With rage, they broke doors, and I knew they would soon come to my room. I therefore put my wallet and phone into my socks. I also had with me some money which I had earned from a previous music show. I also put it into the socks.
A few minutes later, a soldier hit my door with an iron bar and after two or three attempts the door fell in. We looked each other in the eye as he summoned his colleagues in Swahili. Another soldier pointed a pistol on my head and ordered me to kneel down. I put my hands up and just before my knees could reach the floor, the soldier who broke into the room used the same iron bar to hit me. He aimed it at my head and I put up my hand in defence so he hit my arm. The second blow came straight to my head on the side of my right eye. He hit me with this iron bar and I fell down. In no minute, all these guys were on me- each one looking for the best place to hurt. I can’t tell how many they were but they were quite a number.
They beat me, punched me, and kicked me with their boots. No part of my body was spared. They hit my eyes, mouth and nose. They hit my elbows and my knees. Those guys are heartless!
As they dragged me out of the room, they continued to hit me from all sides. After some time, I could almost no longer feel the pain. I could only hear what they were doing from a far. My cries and pleas went unheeded. The things they were speaking to me all this while, I cannot reproduce here. Up to now, I cannot understand how these soldiers who I probably had never met before in person could hate me so much.
They wrapped me in a thick piece of cloth and bundled me into a vehicle. Those guys did to me unspeakable things in that vehicle! They pulled my manhood and squeezed my testicles while punching me with objects I didn’t see. They pulled off my shoes and took my wallet, phone and the money I had. As soon as the shoes were off, they started hitting my ankles with pistol butts. I groaned in pain and they ordered me to stop making noise for them. They used something like pliers to pull my ears. Some guy unwrapped me and instead tied the thick cloth around my head. They forced my head below the car seat so as to stop me from shouting. Then they hit my back and continued to hit my genitals with objects. The marks on my back, ankles, elbows, legs and head are still visible. I continued to groan in pain and the last I heard was someone hit me at the back of the head with an object – I think a gun butt or something. That was the last time I knew what was going on.
By the time I became conscious again, I was somewhere in a small room with a small window. My legs were tied together with my hands with very tight cuffs. I was bleeding from the nose and ears. I was in great pain. The cloth they had tied me in was red- soaked in blood. My whole body was swollen. I was shaking uncontrollably.
Two soldiers came in. I can now recall that they were visibly pleased to see that I was still alive. They came close to me. One of them apologized in tears about what had happened. “Bobi, I am sorry but not all of us are like that. Some of us actually like you,” he said. He said that doctors were on their way to treat me. I stayed in the same position and after a few hours, about four soldiers came in and lifted me on a piece of cloth. One of them took a picture of me, (I hope to see that picture some day in my life). As we went out, I read “Arua airfield’ somewhere. I was taken into a waiting military helicopter and taken to a place which I later found out was Gulu 4th Division military barracks. It was at that facility that some military doctors came in and started giving me injections.
At that point I could not even complain as I was not yet fully alert. I was very dizzy and had not eaten or drank anything for many hours. My sight was very weak as well. I spent the night there. Late in the night, I was picked again from this detention facility. With my head covered with a dark cloth that felt like a t-shirt, I was taken to Gulu Police Station where I was forced to sign a written statement by an officer called Francis Olugo in the presence of some other officer who I later learnt is the CID head of Gulu. I can hardly recall what was contained in that statement! I was then returned to Gulu military barracks, put on a metallic bed and handcuffed on it. Very early morning, I was picked from this room and taken to another very secluded and dirty room where I was put on another bed, hand-cuffed again and injected with a drug that immediately sent me into a deep sleep.
The following day I can recall that at some point, Hon. Medard Ssegona and Hon. Asuman Basalirwa came to me. My efforts to rise and speak to them didn’t yield much. The moment they saw me, they could hardly hold tears. I have a faint recollection of what they told me, but their visit was very short.
I was later carried into a hall where I saw soldiers dressed smartly. I would lie if I said I fully appreciated what was going on at that point. I was later told that I was appearing before the General Court Martial!!!
After a short while, I was again carried into a military helicopter.
When it landed, I was put into a vehicle and driven to another place which I later found out was Makindye military barracks.
At Makindye, I was now fully alert and had a drink for the first time after two or three days. I saw doctors come in several times and they gave me all kinds of injections. At some point, I tried to object and these guys would hold my arms from behind and inject me anywhere. If I asked what drug it was, the guy would say something like, “This is diclofenac, can’t you see?” At some point, some guy came in and wanted to stitch my ear which had an open wound. I pleaded with him not to, and he relented. All the while I was spending the day and night with my hands and legs cuffed until a few days later. Thankfully although the scars are still visible, the wound on my ear healed.
It was after some time at Makindye that I was able to see my wife and my brother Eddy Yawe, who came in with some lawyers, some friends and dignitaries from the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC). I will never forget the atmosphere in that room- people started crying upon setting eyes on me. At that point, I could not sit, walk or even stand by myself. I was still swollen and spoke with great difficulty due to chest pains. My teeth were shaking and the headache was unbearable. I am thankful that the UHRC made a report which I later read. At least it captured in part, the state in which they found me. As the government agency mandated to fight human rights violations, I am eagerly waiting to see what actions they will take to ensure that no Ugandan is taken through this ever again. Not even President Museveni. I cannot wish what happened to me upon anyone. Not even those soldiers who violated me as if they were beasts. I remember two other things about that visit. Despite the pain I had that day, I remember forcing a smile when they told me that I had been charged with unlawful possession of firearms.
Bobi Wine lies in hospital bed
I was told that three guns had been assembled and said to have been found in my room! I could not believe that the state would torture a Ugandan so bad and then frame him with possession of guns! I did not stop thinking about that for all the days I spent at Makindye. How ruthless, how callous, how inhumane could these guys be? It was also on that day that I was told about the alleged stoning of the President’s vehicle.
The other thing I remember is this- I asked my visitors if we had won the Arua election. They told me we had won with a big margin and I thanked God. That strengthened my spirit because I knew that the people were with us, even in the kind of sufferings and indignities we were being subjected to.
I was very sad as I am today, that they murdered my brother Yasin in cold blood and did not allow me to bury him. They told me about my other comrades who were also incarcerated and I kept praying for them. (Of course every visitor had to speak to me in the presence of military personnel.) Although I was very pleased to see all visitors, when I was released, I read the comments which some of the visitors made to the press (particularly government officials). I felt sad that we have a lot of dishonest, cold people who don’t care riding on someone’s tragedy for political capital. I want to believe that we are better than that, dear Ugandans.
Anyway, while at Makindye I was briefed that I was expected in court on 23rd August, about nine days after I was taken there. Some military doctors continued to come in to inject me, wash my wounds and give me pain killers. At night on two occasions, I was put into military vehicles and driven to Kampala Imaging Centre for scans. I could not object or even ask questions. I am worried because one of the machines seemed very dangerous. As soon as I was placed into it and it was switched on, the doctors ran to a safe distance and started seeing me from a small window. It was there that the radiologist told me how one of my kidneys and back had been damaged during the assault. I was however not given any written medical report by the military.
It was clear they wanted me to appear in better shape at the next time of my court appearance and they did everything possible to achieve that. A day or two at Makindye, this guy was candid. He told me it was in my interest to eat well, take in all the medicine and look better by 23rd or else they would not allow the press to see me and I would be remanded again until I was presentable enough! They even forcefully shaved my hair and beards. When I hesitated, this soldier told me, ‘gwe osaaga’ (You are kidding). Two of them held my hands from behind and shaved me by force. At some point, they insisted I must wear a suit for my next appearance before the court martial and asked me to tell my wife to bring me one. I also insisted that I did not have it. At another point I hesitated to allow some eye drops for my right eye which was very red and swollen. I always wanted to know what drugs I was being given. These guys held my arms from behind and one of them literally poured the entire bottle into my eye! Later, the military doctor also provided me with a crutch to aid me in walking. At that point, I was able to stand up, although with difficulty. When you hear all this you may think that all our soldiers are brutal. Far from that, most of them are wonderful people. There are many I interacted with during this ordeal who were extremely professional and sympathetic. It was hard to comprehend how people serving the same force, putting on the same uniform could be very different in appreciation and approach to a citizen of Uganda.
When I was taken back to Gulu on 23rd, I was very happy to see the people who came to court including family members, comrades in the struggle and lawyers. I cannot explain how I felt when the lawyer for the army said that charges of unlawful possession of firearms had been dropped. I did not feel vindicated. I was not excited. I was not moved. I just cannot explain how I felt. I just remembered what these people had done to me and tears came to my eyes. Shortly after, I was rearrested right in front of the courtroom and taken to Gulu prison. At the military prison, I was wearing a red uniform – this time, I was given a yellow one.
Bobi Wine in court
Friends, you cannot believe that you can be happy to be in prison but that day I was. I was very happy to leave solitary military confinement and meet up with colleagues who were being held at the Gulu prison. That night I was taken to Lachor hospital in Gulu- other tests and scans were conducted. At that point I was feeling better, especially psychologically since I had reunited with my comrades in the struggle.
Later that night the prison authorities decided to take me into the sickbay as opposed to staying with the other comrades. The other comrades led by Hon. Wadri protested. I could hear them bang the doors of their cell. The following day I was allowed to stay with them. This is when I interacted with the other 32 colleagues who had been arrested in the Arua fracas. Being in the same prison ward with Hon. Gerald Karuhanga, Hon. Paul Mwiru, Hon. Kassiano Wadri, Hon. Mike Mabike, John Mary Sebuufu and many other comrades made it feel like a boarding school. It was not a very happy reunion though. Because of the torture some of our comrades had been permanently injured. I cannot forget the pain which Shaban Atiku was going through. He spent every day and night groaning. The doctors had told him he would never walk again because his back had been permanently broken. Sadly, the world may never know him, but he will never go out of my mind. He would later collapse during a court session at Gulu. When I later met the women who were brutalised, it was very painful to see them and listen to their stories.
Many times we joked about the possibility of being hanged if the regime decided to give us the maximum penalty of the offence we had been charged with! This got many of our comrades silent.
Away from these sad moments, the overall prison leader had a box guitar in the ward and together we sang songs of freedom all night. This was the routine every night until we appeared before the Gulu High Court a few days later, for our bail hearing.
My next communication will be a vote of thanks to the world for the overwhelming support and comradeship. I will also talk about what I think we must do together to continue this struggle for liberty and freedom.
I am glad that authorities finally have bowed to your pressure and #HonZaake has been given bond to travel for urgent specialised treatment and I join the world to demand authorities to #FreeEddyMutwe and other political prisoners. WE SHALL OVERCOME.
PS:
1. Please ignore calls from my phone number (0752013306). It was taken from me by soldiers and am told they’re using it to call my friends pretending it is me.
2. Please ignore any communication from other social media accounts and pages under my name apart from this one (with a blue tick) and my verified twitter account (also with a blue tick).
On Thursday August 23rd 2018 hundreds of Kenyans poured to the streets of Nairobi for a peaceful demonstration to demand for the release Bobi Wine.
The demo was spearheaded by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) following revelation that Bobi Wine was tortured in detention.
Boniface Mwangi and other activists congregated at Freedom Corner in Uhuru Park before starting the march to Ugandan embassy to pass their message across.
Bad Kenyans
Uganda’s Minister for Defence Gen Elly Tumwiine has called out Kenyans for standing up for Bobi Wine. The 64-year-old general wondered why Kenyans took to the streets to demonstrate in support of Bobi Wine when they already have enough problems to worry about.
“By the way young people in Uganda, most of these messages you have received on WhatsApp, we have analyzed them and most of them are from abroad and sent by people who are comfortable wherever they are. A good number of the messages are from neighboring bad people from Kenya who are demonstrating when they have enough problems there,” said Gen Elly Tumwiine during an interview with NBS television.
Gen Elly Tumwiine
Meanwhile Museveni’s government has blocked Bobi Wine from leaving the country. On Thursday night police arrested Bobi Wine at Entebbe airport as he was leaving for US for treatment.
Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine was tortured by Ugandan soldiers while in jail for close to two weeks. He was arrested and slapped with treason following the violence that broke up in Arua during a by-election.
Bobi Wine could barely walk without the help of crunches when he appeared in court. He left Gulu court in an ambulance when he was granted bail.
The firebrand MP is now recuperating at Lubaga Hospital. The extend of the injuries he endured became evident when opposition leader Kizza Besigye and other lawmakers paid him a visit and shared photos online.
Kizza Besigye with Bobi Wine at the hospital
Nasal bone broken
Besigye reports that Bobi Wine’s torturers broke his right nasal bone. He said that the young lawmaker could still afford to smile at them despite the njuries inflicted on him.
“Hon Kyagulanyi’s torturers broke his right nasal bone, among several other injuries that he showed us, when I &colleagues visited him at Lubaga Hospital. Happily, his spirit is not broken at all! We keep him in our prayers as he recovers. We shall overcome!” Kizza Besigye twitted.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had an exclusive interview with BBC’s Zeinab Badawi during his trip to Washington, D.C. where he held talks with US president Donald Trump at the White House.
Badawi pressed Uhuru to address the issue of Kyaddondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine who was arrested, tortured and slapped with treason charges.
“As well as being president of Kenya you are also leader of a very important country in East Africa and I put it to you that one issue that is in the news very much is the fate of Ugandan opposition MP Bobi Wine. I would like to know whether you have raised his plight with president Museveni, he is now released on bail on charges of treason,” Zeinab Badawi asked Uhuru.
Kenya doesn’t interfere
Uhuru made it clear that he hadn’t raised Bobi Wine’s plight with president Museveni. The Kenyan president stated that his country doesn’t interfere with the internal affairs of other countries.
“Kenya is not a country that seeks to really to interfere with other people’s or other country’s issues. We are a country that encourage democratic processes but we also understand every country has its own challenges. What we would say is that Kenya would like to see is where political competition is allowed without intimidation and we preach that message but we say that where there are differences please let us ensure those differences don’t result in violence, exactly what I said to Raila Odinga. In short ours is to encourage democracy and a peaceful solution to whatever differences may exist. But Kenya DOES NOT interfere just like we are also keen with other people interfering with our own domestic issues, and what we encourage is internal resolution to internal problem,” said Uhuru.
Thursday 23rd August 2018 was a Rollercoaster day for Bobi Wine after he was set free by the court only to be arrested again by the police.
Dictator Yoweri Museveni has slapped Bobi Wine with myriad of accusations including treason and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
A visibly frail Kyagulanyi walked out of the court with difficulty, he was re-arrested by police officers who were waiting outside. He is being remanded to Gulu Prison until August 30th when he will be returned to court with his co-accused.
Bobi Wine as he walks out of the court
Manhood damaged?
Bobi Wine confirmed he was brutally tortured (as reported earlier) through a message he delivered via fellow legislator Allan Ssewanyana.
The Kyadondo East MP says he is worried he might never function or will not be as good as he has always been. According to Ssewanyana, Bobi Wine cries while talking about the situation he finds himself in now.
Bobi Wine was arrested on Monday August 13th following chaos that broke out on the last day of the campaigns for Arua Municipality MP. Wine’s driver Yasin Kawuma was shot dead by police during the chaos.
Reports that the Kyadondo East MP was severely tortured and injured have been trending on social media for the last few days.
Museveni however dismissed the reports on torture in a Facebook post. The Ugandan strongman claims his soldiers are very disciplined can’t hurt Bobi Wine.
” I decided to check with Army doctors because, being a disciplined Army, UPDF doctors always take precautions in such situations. Bobi Wine had already been seen by doctors in Arua, Gulu and Kampala. He has no head or chest injuries or bone fractures, they informed me,” wrote Museveni in part.
International reaction
Several celebrities from across East Africa have voiced their concern over Bobi Wine’s detention. The likes of Sauti Sol, Ray C, Julie Gichuru, Robert Alai, Boniface Mwangi, Jua Cali, etc also took to social media to demand the release of Bobi Wine.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmqy5YGB9m8/?
Must happen now. EAC can’t be when we have despots using the military to fight divergent thoughts. This son of Africa did nothing wrong to deserve what he is going through. Museveni must #FreeBobiWine.
In our new Africa, There is no room for brutality, we cherish each other. Let us debate disagreements, not crush opponents. In our new Africa, Our young people control our future; they are Africa. Ignore or abuse them at your peril.#FreeBobiWine#FreePeterBiar#NoToViolence 🌍
Mr. @KagutaMuseveni, you claimed to be a freedom fighter when you went to the forest in 1981 with a ragtag of boys. However, since 1986, you you have brutalized Ugandans and turned the country into a personal fiefdom. Ugandans aren't your cows. #FreeBobiWine and his comrades. https://t.co/Ab1v7Kgxr3
President Museveni’s lead vehicle was vandalized in chaos in Arua town. Bobi Wine and three other MPs who were campaigning for opposition candidate were arrested following the violence.
Museveni’s vehicle that was vandalized in Arua
Ugandan government announced that Bobi Wine and the three other MPs would be charged before the army court in Gulu for possessing a gun.
Letter to Museveni
Jose Chameleone and Babi Wine
Jose Chameleone has since written an open letter to Museveni urging him to forgive and free Bobi Wine. He urged the president to be a symbol of forgiveness to the nation by releasing Bobi Wine.
Read the letter below:
Letter to His Excellency President of the republic of Uganda.
Dear President,
Seeking appointment or going through protocol will not deliver my urgent letter to you.
Right now I hope we all rather can let it be a temporary political mishap per what happened in the district of Arua on Monday. Unfortunately it left you car Vandalized,Many of us inconvenienced – A soul lost, And another Ugandan,brother, Friend,Fellow singer Honourable as appointed by Kyadondo east-Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine and many counterparts in an unfortunate situation. Honourable Kyagulanyi has always collaborated with me and all of us society to free Uganda from
Foreign sounds,Sell our culture beyond borders through our capital ability – Music.
Bobi Wine has over time exhibited his leadership admiration. Just Like any young ambitious man, he has treaded a path of aggressiveness.
Your excellency,Our brother, Your son Bobi Wine could have gone wrong on execution of some of his ideologies. That’s a challenge .
As head of state and forefather, It’s a great one too to lead us in example of forgiveness and reconciliation as that is one of the prime problems that have hindered our society.We are so unforgiving.
I as a son of this nation on behalf of the slogan. “For God and my Country” With all honour beg you the President to symbolise forgiveness in such a time. We can all wrong but better the forgiver.Mr President, You are a Father,Parent and always forgiving one.We shall all remain calm and be hopeful that the coming developments will see us all live harmoniously and have a peaceful country henceforth.
JOHN: 8:7
Dialogue is the answer
For God and my country
Likuyani MP Enock Kibunguchy survived an assassination attempt on his life but unfortunately his driver Douglas Wakacha was not so lucky.
Unknown gunmen ambushed the MP’s driver and shot him on the head before storming into Soy Highway Motel, Kakamega County in search of the MP.
The Sunday August 12th attack could have had more casualties were it not for the motel’s manager Edwin Lussa, who switched off lights as the gunmen stormed in the model asking for the MP.
Bobi Wine survives assassination attempt
Ugandan dancehall artist-cum-MP Bobi Wine survived an assassination attempt in Arua town, Uganda on Monday August 13th.
Bobi Wine, who is president Museveni’s fiercest critic, says his driver was shot dead by Ugandan police who were wanted to kill him instead.
The Kyadondo East MP says the hotel he was in was cordoned off by police after the incident.
“Police has shot my driver dead thinking they’ve shot at me. My hotel is now cordoned off by police and SFC,” Bobi Wine tweeted.
Police has shot my driver dead thinking they've shot at me. My hotel is now coddoned off by police and SFC. #Aruapic.twitter.com/fw0GeV0vU9
Ugandan dancehall artist-cum-MP Bobi Wine melted the hearts of Kenyans with his peace message. The MP sent the message after he turned down 29 million bribe from president Museveni’s government.
Bobi Wine is among opposition MPs who were embroiled in a fight in a bid stop Museveni allied MPs from pushing for a change in law to remove the presidential age limit set at 75 years.
MPs allied with the government have lobbied to table the bill in parliament and engaged their constituents across the country in order to popularize the move.
Bobi Wine (in red cap) when opposition MPs fought with government allied MPs in parliament in September
73 year old President Museveni, who has ruled since 1986, will be two years over the age limit when Uganda holds its next election in 2021.
The desperate regime has since resorted to bribing opposition MPs in a bid to woo them to support the move to scrap the presidential age limit.
Bobi Wine received 29 million Ugandan shillings (Kes 822,797) bribe. The state deposited the money to his account without his knowledge but he instructed the bank to return it to the sender.
“On 24th October, 2017, 29,000,000/= (Uganda Shillings Twenty Nine Million) was deposited to my Bank Account. This money was given to all Members of Parliament. According to official communication, this money was given to Members of Parliament to consult on the unfortunate proposal to amend Article 102(b) of the Constitution of Uganda and remove the 75 year age-limit as a qualification to stand for President of Uganda.
I have accordingly instructed my bank to immediately return this money to its sender,” Bobi Wine said in a statement posted on Facebook on Friday October 27th.
Bobi Wine prays for Kenya
On Saturday Bobi Wine sent Kenyans a message of peace after violence gripped several towns in the country. Kenyans were moved by Bobi Wine’s message which was posted on Twitter.
“Heavenly Father, send angels of peace & stability to Kenya. Grant wisdom & guide it’s leaders to make decisions that save citizens’ lives.”
