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.”

Related Topics:Bobi Wine Featured Uganda

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Politics

Mozambique’s top court affirms governing party’s victory in recent election

Published

5 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Mozambique affirmed Monday that the incumbent Frelimo party won the October election, sparking widespread demonstrations from opposition parties who claim the vote was manipulated.

Fears of fresh bloodshed have been raised in the nation already shaken by weeks of fatal protests after Mozambique’s top electoral court mostly confirmed the results of the country’s contentious October elections, reinforcing the Frelimo party’s decades-long hold on power.

The final decision on the election process rests with the Constitutional Council. Mozambique, a nation of over 35 million people in Southern Africa that Frelimo has ruled since 1975, is expected to see more protests in response to its judgement.

Mozambique operates a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic in a multi-party system. The president of Mozambique serves as both the head of state and the head of government.

The government exercises executive power. The administration and the Assembly of the Republic have the authority to enact laws.

Politics

Alliance of Sahel States opposes ECOWAS disengagement schedule

Published

5 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) withdrawal timeline has been rejected by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which is made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

The AES claims that the ECOWAS is attempting to destabilise their newly formed organisation.

During a meeting last week in Abuja, Nigeria, the regional organisation announced a six-month withdrawal period to give the three nations time to change their minds after their official departure date at the end of January 2025.

However, this decision is “nothing more than yet another attempt by the French and its auxiliaries to continue planning and carrying out destabilising actions against the AES,” according to the heads of state of the AES.

“This unilateral decision is not binding on the ESA countries,” the statement continues. Before the conference, they stated that their choice to leave the organisation was “irreversible.”

According to the president of the Ecowas Commission, this will be a “transition period” that ends on “July 29, 2025” to “keep the doors of Ecowas open.”

The three nations accused the bloc of neglecting to assist them in resolving their domestic security challenges and of imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coup.

The three nations that were involved in the coup have mostly rejected ECOWAS’ attempts to undo their withdrawal. They are creating their alliance and have begun thinking about how to issue travel passports independently of ECOWAS.

It is anticipated that they will finish giving their one-year notice of departure in January.

Visa-free travel to other ECOWAS members is a significant perk of membership, and it is unclear how this would alter after the three nations exit the group.