Amnesty International has said that the incarceration of Kyadondo East legislator, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine is an attempt silence dissents.
The organisation’s Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, Seif Magango said a statement released on Tuesday that Uganda government’s harassment of the pop-star turned politician is indicative of misuse of law.
“The Ugandan authorities must immediately free Bobi Wine and stop misusing the law in a shameless attempt to silence him for criticizing the government,” Magango said
“It is not a crime for Bobi Wine to hold a concert or organize a protest; it is a right enshrined in Ugandan and international law. The authorities must respect and uphold Bobi Wine’s right to liberty, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
Bobi Wine was arrested on Monday, charged with a 2018 offence of mobilising people to resist payment of OTT tax and remanded to Luzira until Thursday, May 2, 2019.
The arrest followed his plans to the CID headquarters, Kibuli. Police fired teargas to disperse hundreds of excited people-walking and riding motorcycles or driving who were accompanying the legislator.
The security-Bobi Wine stalemate was caused by cancellation of the latter’s Easter Monday music concert. Bobi Wine responded by announcing that he would protest which prompted security to lock him at home for two days.
Asuman Mugenyi, the Director of Operation Uganda Police Force argued that Bobi Wine’s show was blocked because previous music concerts held at his One Love Beach fell short of security guidelines.
Mugenyi further claimed that Bobi Wine shows have severally turned into a public nuisance, violated traffic rules and regulations and caused other misconducts, which don’t only breach law but endanger the lives of other people who are not even part of his music events.
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