Uganda police: Bobi Wine plans to stage own kidnap after voting
NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, whom Ugandan police claim plans to stage his own abduction after casting his vote on Thursday.
Ugandan police Tuesday claimed that they have credible information that National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, plans to stage his own abduction after casting his vote on Thursday.
Speaking at the police headquarters in Naguru, police spokesman Fred Enanga said Wine will possibly hide at an embassy — which he did not name — on Thursday after casting his vote.
“He will thereafter allege, through his NUP networks and bloggers, that he has been kidnapped by state operatives,” Mr Enanga said.
The intention, according to the police, is to incite the public and cause violence.
Enanga pointed out the recent riots in the capital Kampala following the arrest of Wine in November 2020, which led to the deaths of over 30 people, saying that the candidate intends to incite another wave of protests.
“We want to inform the public that this is a tactic that we strongly condemn and issue a strong warning to the perpetrators,” Enanga said.
Political attire
The police spokesman made the remarks while briefing Ugandans on what security institutions expect to be the behaviour of voters during the elections.
Among the basic rules Enanga shared was the issues of political attire.
The police spokesman said that political attire is considered campaigning. As campaigning is illegal at polling centres, the police have said that political attire will not be allowed in polling stations.
However, NUP spokesman Joel Ssenyonyi, when contacted, dismissed Enanga’s remarks as jokes.
"On that (planned kidnap), what I would say is that Ugandans should stop laughing at Enanga when he makes such comments. That man needs help and he should be taken to hospital and checked whether his head is right. Honestly, he needs immediate attention," Mr Ssenyonyi said.
