KAMPALA (Reuters) -Soldiers and police sealed off the headquarters of Uganda’s biggest opposition party on Monday. This precautionary measure came ahead of the Ugandan opposition protest planned for Tuesday despite a ban. #UgandanOppositionProtest
On social media platform X, Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, reported that security personnel surrounded NUP headquarters in Kampala. They barred anyone from entering or exiting.
Wine said several NUP leaders had been “violently arrested” and also showed pictures of military personnel at the premises alongside parked army trucks.
“The military and police have raided and surrounded the National Unity Platform offices …” he said. “The cowardly regime is so afraid of the people because they know how much they have wronged them!”
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke did not immediately respond when sought for comment about the reported arrests. #UgandanOppositionProtest
Wine, 42, a pop star turned politician, has in recent years emerged as the biggest challenger to veteran President Yoweri Museveni, 79, who has led the East African nation since 1986.
Ugandan youth who have spearheaded recent protests are planning to march to parliament on Tuesday in defiance of a ban on the demonstration, which is intended to denounce alleged widespread corruption and human rights abuses under Museveni’s long-time rule.
Wine said his party was not organising Tuesday’s protests, but it supported them.
Rusoke said security forces had taken precautionary steps against what he called NUP “mobilisation for the protest”.
“We have been monitoring (this). Their activities raised a red flag and we took precaution measures,” he said.
Protests are constitutionally legal in Uganda. However, organisers must secure permits in advance from police, which are rarely granted for the Ugandan opposition protest.
