Civil Society Organisations and Ugandans living in Kenya held demonstrations in Nairobi. They are demanding the release of Ugandan MP Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine together with at least 33 other people arrested in the town of Arua last week.
The peaceful demonstrations continued despite Bobi Wine’s charges being dropped.
At Nairobi’s freedom corner supporters of the musician turned politician Bobi Wine danced to his music protesting his incarceration and torture during campaigns for a by-election in the town of Arua in Northern Uganda. Most of those gathered were young Ugandans studying in Kenya.
Like many young Ugandans, they see Bobi Wine as their only hope for political change in their country.
“Museveni has tortured Bobi Wine, because he knows Bobi Wine is the opposition figure now.”
Another protestor says, “We want Museveni to resign because he has mismanaged our country and we want to hold Museveni accountable for all the things that have gone wrong in our country and we want the international community to start imposing personal sanctions on Museveni and his cahoots.”
As the protests got underway, news of Bobi Wine’s release reached the protestors. Their resolve did not however change.
“We want Uganda free, we want Uganda free, the time of Musveni is over,” they chanted.
Kyagulanyi’s style of politics as well as his music, which many youth relate to, now seem to be a threat to President Museveni’s 32 year hold on power in Uganda.
