President Yoweri Museveni has warned the National Unity Platform Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine to stop thinking he is untouchable, as he can be arrested and prosecuted like any other Ugandan.
The president made these comments while delivering the State of the Nation address on Sunday evening, focused on security and the Corona Virus.
While commenting on the protests that erupted following Bobi Wine’s arrest on Wednesday 18th November 2020, President Museveni said the 54 people would have been alive today, if such protests didn’t happen.
“If Hon Kyagulanyi (Robert) was arrested, his supporters should have waited for him to go to court like he eventually did. The feeling that Kyagulanyi is untouchable because he is a politician and prompts people to riot must NEVER be repeated” Museveni warned.
The president added that in spite of the weakness of the police that allows impunity of lawlessness to persist, the overall security posture of Uganda is robust and that is where people (like these rioters) make miscalculations; “You will be defeated.”
He also warned against the attack on people wearing NRM/ yellow shirts; the attack on officers in uniform saying this should NEVER happen again and that whoever has ears should listen as they are not doing anyone a favor to keep the law.
He sent condolences to Ugandans that lost their relatives in these senseless riots and announced that government will compensate those who lost their lives and properties, but insisted that “we shall not compensate those who died and were rioters, NO WAY.”
54 people died in the confusion and 32 of them have been ruled out as rioters according to the report from the police. Some were hit by stray bullets, while some were knocked.
