Ugandan police on Tuesday arrested Bobi Wine, a popular singer and opposition presidential hopeful just after he was successfully certified as a candidate in next year’s general elections.
The pop star whose real names are Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu was put into a police van amid violent scuffles between police and his supporters.
Bobi, who is bidding to unseat Uganda’s long-time leader was dragged from his car by police. A police spokesman did not immediately respond to questions.
Authorities frequently accuse Wine of planning rallies that could disrupt public order, which he denies. Police then violently dispersed Wine’s supporters who were waiting by his home.
Bobby revealed that he was held for several hours in the police van and was “tortured” by police officers who drove him his Magere home with heavy deployment in the neighbourhood.
He added that “They sprayed him with tear gas and left him bruises and scars all over the whole body”.
Bobi Wine, 38yrs has captured lots of attention from the poor people in urban areas. Wine and his supporters were involved in “violent running battles” with security forces, with three officers and four civilians injured, and two police vehicles damaged plus 49 arrests were made, Enanga said.
“We now enter the most critical phase of our liberation struggle” Wine said after having his candidacy certified. The East African countries have never witnessed any peaceful transfer of power since independence from British colonial rule in 1962.
In related development another opposition presidential candidate and FDC flag bearer, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, was man-handled with no shoes and intercepted along the Entebbe road to the party offices
