NAMAYINGO. The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi , aka Bobi Wine, has completed his first leg of campaigns in Busoga sub region despite a blockage by security operatives on Friday ,which denied him a chance to stage a rally in Iganga Town .
Today , Saturday , the singer cum politician conducted rallies in the districts of Namayingo and Bugiri.
Bobi Wine accused both the police and the Electoral Commission of bias and complicity in what he described as a deliberate effort to frustrate his second shot at presidency .
Speaking to journalists before setting off for Namayingo, Bobi Wine said the blockade in Iganga exposed “the one-sidedness” of security agencies and the Commission’s silence amid continued harassment of opposition candidates.
“You’ve seen the facts and the one-sidedness of not just the police or the military, but also the Electoral Commission,” he said.
“The Commission continues to be silent when we are harassed and blocked from campaigning. Yesterday, we were supposed to campaign in Iganga Municipality, where two presidential candidates have already been, but we were rudely told that others would be allowed and we would not.”
He said the road to Iganga was closed off by security forces, preventing his convoy from proceeding.
“We were not able to campaign in Iganga, but we promised the people that we shall come back and talk to them physically,” he added.
Bobi Wine emphasized that his campaign would remain peaceful and law-abiding despite what he called repeated provocation by police.
“We refuse to be used to create violence so that they can justify repression,” he said.
“We are going to run this campaign on morality and within the law. We shall expose all the illegalities and irritation caused by police, but we will not respond with violence.”
Police speak out
However, police defended their actions, saying the NUP team had attempted to deviate from the agreed route and venue. Busoga East Regional Police spokesperson Diana Nandawula said Bobi Wine’s convoy was advised to proceed to Namungale Grounds in Iganga Municipality, where clearance had been granted, but instead “opted to take an alternative route that posed security and traffic risks.”
She added that the force acted within the law to maintain order and protect both the candidate and the public.
Bobi Wine urged his supporters to continue turning up in large numbers “peacefully and prayerfully” as he concluded his eastern Uganda campaign trail in Namayingo and Bugiri districts on Saturday.
Bobi Wine’s revolution train ,as he calls it returns to Kampala Saturday to replenish and on Monday , he will hit the road again ,this time campaigning in some districts of Buganda Region starting with Mityana on Monday