National Unity Platform presidential
candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has been granted a non-cash
bail by Iganga Chief Magistrate’s court after being charged with acts
likely to spread coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Kyagulanyi whose arrest on Wednesday sparked off protests all over
the country that led to the death of more than 50 people and injuring
more than 130 others. Kyagulanyi told court that there's no reason as to
why he should be court because he has not committed any offence.
“It is my opinion that this case should not be Uganda vs Kyagulanyi.
This case should actually be Uganda vs Museveni. You know that it is
Museveni who is supposed to be in this dock for killing innocent
citizens and for committing crimes against humanity. Your honour am not
here because I committed any crime, am here because I offered myself to
lead Ugandan into ending 35 years of dictatorship,” an exhausted and
frail-looking Kyagulanyi said.
"Even though I have been released, at
least temporarily, this is no happy day, we mourn the death of more than
37 innocent who were murdered by this murderous regime. I have learnt
that more than 500 people were arrested...They brutalised and tortured
us in order to break our resolve. I have news for you Mr. Museveni and
all those who work for him, we are not your slaves. Ugandans refuse to
be your slaves. You can pepper spray us and break our bodies but you
can't touch and break our spirit and soul...We are not giving up, we
shall continue fighting for our freedom. To the people of Uganda, do not
give up, they cannot kill us all. Ugandans, nobody is going to fight
for you, you have to fight for your freedom. Mr Museveni that
presidential chair that is making you gloat will soon be no more because
the people are going to oust you from power," said Kyagulanyi.
Yesterday, President Museveni warned protestors that they will regret
ever attacking his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM)
supporters. Museveni said very soon they will lose the appetite of even
touching an abandoned NRM T-shirt on the streets.
Today, the army in a statement, said they will carry out 'pre-emptive
and decisive' operations to deal with any riots and protests. Earlier,
according to lawyer Nkunyingi Muwada, soldiers stormed the court session
and confiscated Kyagulanyi's torn clothes that had been brought to
court as evidence.
DEATH TOLL RISES TO 49
Meanwhile, the death toll from Kyagulanyi's protests has now risen to
49. According to records at Mulago hospital mortuary, 37 bodies were
brought to the mortuary from different hospitals, while 12 are patients
who died from injuries at the hospital on Wednesday and Thursday.
David
Niwamanya, the Mulago hospital principal administrator, says that some
of the patients died on arrival at the hospital while others died in the
process of being operated to remove the bullets.
OPPOSITION CANDIDATES COME TOGETHER
Opposition presidential candidates today met and released a joint
statement. The statement signed by Gen Mugisha Muntu, Gen Henry
Tumukunde, Norbert Mao, Dr. Lina Zedriga who represented Kyagulanyi and
Ambassador Wasswa Biriggwa who represented Patrick Oboi Amuriat resolved
the following;
🔹 We’re in this together as leaders who are responding to a failing state
🔹 We shall avoid attacking each other and thus deny the regime the opportunity to divide us in the field
🔹 We agree on a common understanding of each other’s position in
order to avoid contradictions that may play into the hands of the
regime.
🔹 We pledge to work together in areas of common interests. Where we
don’t agree we shall strive to understand each other. If one of us is
arrested, harassed or mishandled, we shall all stand together in
solidarity.
🔹 We have agreed to design a common response to the arrests,
brutalizations and harassment of candidates aimed at denying them access
to the electorate. We’re on different fronts but our cause is the same -
CHANGE
