Presidential aspirant, Bobi Wine Monday asked police and its sister security agencies to protect his supporters as he heads to Kyambogo sports ground for nomination on Tuesday.
According to the Kyadondo East MP, real name Robert Kyagulanyi, police should accord his supporters the same courtesy they did to supporters of President Museveni before, during and after nomination on Monday.
“Police has written to me about this route as I go for nominations tomorrow. We have no problem and we shall follow this route to the nominations venue. After that, we shall head straight to our office in Kamwokya where we shall launch our manifesto! Today, we saw people mobilised by NRM standing along different roads, guarded by the police, unmolested. We hope the police will behave the same way if our supporters stand and by the road to wave to us,” Mr Kyagulanyi tweeted.
Authorities said Bobi Wine will be escorted by Uganda Police Force with a lead traffic vehicle/ motorcycle to nomination venue with his team as per Electoral Commission guidelines.
“Your route to and from the venue will be; Magere, Kumbuzi, Kisasi, Ntinda Stretcher road, Spear Motors, Kyambogo University Junction, nomination venue. We look forward to your positive cooperation in this exercise,” reads part of the police letter signed by IGP Martin Okoth Ochola.
During and after President Museveni’s nomination, NRM supporters were seen gathered and in processions along Jinja road and Entebbe road, among others to show support for their candidate despite police warnings.
After nomination, Mr Museveni who has ruled Uganda since 1986 vowed to crash anyone who tries to cause chaos and disrupt the peaceful nomination exercise.
“I hear there are people who want to destabilise peace. I would like to encourage everybody to maintain peace. If you want to bring chaos here, you will regret it. We don’t play,” said Mr Museveni, 76.
“No one is better than us when it comes to fighting and fighting weapons. NRM fought to bring peace and so we don’t play,” Mr Museveni added.
Mr Museveni’s nomination happened amid tight security in and around Kampala city.
Traffic on major routes around Kyambogo sports grounds was also diverted as Police warned against holding processions.
Bobi Wine has become a popular figure among the youth in a country where the median age is less than 16.
Since becoming an MP in 2017, he has been routinely arrested and put under house arrest, his concerts banned and public rallies dispersed with teargas.
After more than 30 years in power, the 76-year-old Museveni is the only president most have known.
Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers, had the constitution amended for a second time to allow him to run a sixth time in 2021.
His argument for the extended grip on the presidency is that Ugandans love him as evidenced by the results of the highly contested elections held after every five years.