Politics

Uganda: Bobi Wine faces fresh hurdle as police stop opening of new offices, halt mobilization

Published

1 year ago

September 14, 2023

The Police in Uganda have banned nationwide mobilisation activities and the opening of new offices by the Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine-led National Unity Platform (NUP).

Police spokesman, Fred Enanga claimed that NUP had broken the rules that established it as its leader, Bobi Wine has been touring the nation’s major cities nonstop since August 28 and drawing sizable audiences.

The politician had revealed that he was aware that the government was moving to block his activities or potentially hold him “answerable to his recent remarks”.

“The mobilisation activities were used to incite violence, promote sectarianism and make a legitimate cause for removal of an elected government and issuance of defamatory statements against President Yoweri Museveni,” he said, with an emphasis on a directive signed by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Geoffrey Tumusiime Katsigaazi.

“We’ve noticed that in all areas where NUP mobilisation activities have been carried out, there have been total breaches of the guidelines thus causing public disorder, loss of business, unnecessary jam and vandalisation, loss of lives where Norman Mugisa died and 10 others were injured in a NUP convoy,” he explained.

In their defence, the NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi insisted that the party was not discouraged and revealed that “very soon, the party is going to unveil our schedule for phase two of our tour. We’re not about to stop!!”

“We’re going to put an end to the mob mentality, bullying and intimidating tactics of NUP radicals against civilians and law enforcers,” he remarked in Kampala.

Wine has a history of confrontation with Ugandan authorities. In November 2020, he was arrested for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols during his presidential campaign in Uganda.

He was a strong contender for the presidential election in 2021, but Yoweri Museveni, the incumbent president in power since 1986, was declared the winner of the presidential election with 58.64% of the vote, despite the U.S. State Department describing the electoral process as “fundamentally defective.”

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Politics

Mali’s junta names spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga new Prime Minister

Published

16 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A day after dismissing Choguel Maiga for criticising the government, Mali’s governing junta named its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, as Prime Minister on Thursday, according to state broadcaster, ORTM.

A source close to Choguel Maiga told Reuters that the ruling generals were incensed by Maiga’s remarks over the weekend denouncing the junta’s inability to hold elections within the 24-month timeframe given for the return to democracy.

After promising to hold elections in February, the military authorities, who took control in two separate coups in 2020 and 2021, have put off the poll indefinitely, citing technological difficulties.

Choguel Maiga’s firing coincides with indications of growing discontent and disarray among Mali politicians, even those who first supported the coup and collaborated with the junta.

As the wait for elections continues, Choguel Maiga, a civilian prime minister who was installed by the military junta in 2021, is the most recent to lose support.

He was cited on Saturday as claiming he learnt of the junta’s decision via the media and that there had been no discussion regarding the delay of the elections inside the cabinet.

“It’s all happening in total secrecy, without the prime minister’s knowledge,” Choguel Maiga told reporters.

Before then, he had frequently stood up for Mali’s junta against criticism from foreign friends and neighbours in West Africa who denounced its repeated election delays and military collaboration with Russian mercenaries.

As government spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, the new prime minister, has also made strong public remarks against France, the previous colonial master. One such speech was demanding French President Emmanuel Macron to stop his “neocolonial” and “condescending” behaviour.

Abdoulaye Maiga and Assimi Goita, the leaders of the junta, announced they had kept all of the important cabinet ministers in their portfolios in the new administration in a statement that was broadcast on state television ORTM.

The announcement said that Abdoulaye Maiga will remain minister of territory administration.

Politics

Congo opposition mobilizes protests against constitution review

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In response to President Felix Tshisekedi’s intentions to amend the constitution, opposition lawmakers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have called for national protests on Wednesday.

Tshisekedi, who was sworn in for his second and last term in January, said that a panel would be formed in October to recommend possible constitutional amendments.

According to critics, it may be a ploy to lift term restrictions and give him another chance to run.

Tshisekedi said the current constitution, ratified by a referendum in 2005, needed to change because it did not align with the country’s current realities.

Opposition politicians, including former president Joseph Kabila and past presidential candidates Martin Fayulu and Moise Katumbi, issued a unified statement on Wednesday urging rallies to “block” Tshisekedi.

A request for a response from the Congo’s presidency was not answered.

Patrick Muyaya, the minister of communications, stated on Monday that discussions surrounding the constitutional revision should be de-politicized and that no one should doubt the president’s intentions.

“We’re at the beginning of our mandate… The President of the Republic still has four years to go, and we must avoid attributing intentions to him,” Muyaya told reporters.