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Bobi Wine to Museveni: My supporters are not fools
Popstar turned politician and NUP presidential candidate Mr Robert Kyagulanyi [Left] and NRM presidential candidate and incumbent President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni. PHOTO MONTAGE/NMG.
What you need to know:
- Glaring scenes of verbal-confrontation between NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi and NRM presidential candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni continue to dominate the electoral campaigns as the country races towards election day.
“I sympathize with President Museveni for calling my supporters fools,” National Unity Platform [NUP] presidential candidate Mr Robert Kyagulanyi said Sunday, just a day after incumbent president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni said, “Kyagulanyi has fools who are backing him for presidency.”
Mr Museveni, whose administration has been at the helm of Uganda’s leadership for more than three decades has continuously used his campaigns to lash out at foreigners who he says are ignorant about “matters of Uganda.”
“Amongst the fools supporting Bobi Wine are the Europeans. They became fools long time ago. I also know the fools supporting him within Uganda,” Mr Museveni told National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders and flag bearers during his campaign meeting in Hoima City on Saturday.
While on his campaign trail at Ruhindi, Mbarara City, the Kyadondo East MP responded saying: “It is dangerous and saddening to have a president that still thinks, reasons and acts like Mr Museveni.”
“President Museveni himself said that when you get so old, you damage parts of your body. Museveni is tired and that is why we the youth want to retire him peacefully. Our supporters are not fools; they want change,” he added.
"For Museveni to get people on his side, he either coerces or bribes them but money won't solve all our problems. Bribery does not put medicines in hospitals or pay medical workers or security people. Besides, he won't be able to buy all the people," the musician turned politician added.
‘Dictator’ against ‘foreign backed forces’
With just days left to the January 14 presidential poll, the verbal exchange between the two political foes is not just picking but also peaking.
Glaring scenes of verbal confrontation have been reported in the media with Bobi Wine branding Mr Museveni, a “dictator”.
“President Museveni is the last dictator in Uganda. Presidents should rule for at least two terms. We are removing a dictator,” Bobi Wine told a gathering while campaigning in Rubirizi district, December 19, also vowing to restore term limits- should he assume the country’s most prestigious office.
The ruling NRM party has on the other end constantly pushed the agenda that Bobi Wine’s political activities and intentions have been largely funded by ‘foreign opportunists’ that “deliberately want to destroy Uganda by putting it in the hands of criminals”.
“We shall not allow criminals to disturb Uganda while we are just watching,” the president remarked in sheer justification of shootings at rioters following Bobi Wine’s November 18 arrest.
More than 50 people died and several were admitted with serious injuries during the two-day protests, according to police records.
They can’t do anything
“Bobi Wine’s group is nonexistent. If there’s any, I will wipe it out completely because for me I work undercover,” Mr Museveni, 76, added.
His remarks are seemingly a reinforcement of his continued spate of attacks on Bobi Wine’s “foreign supporters,” with the president warning in late November 2020, “We are following intelligence and we will sort them out.”
Mr Museveni also accuses the foreigners of funding illicit acts in Uganda among which include homosexual activities and drug abuse, especially among the youth on Kampala streets.
Mr Museveni who assumed power in 1986 following a five-year guerrilla war-fare, has further used his campaigns, to reiterate that, “Nobody will disturb our elections. Anybody who will try will fail. We shall crash them.”
Ugandans go to the January polls with Mr Museveni seeking to extend his rule to the fourth decade as Bobi Wine, 38, and 10 other opposition candidates struggle to unseat him in a battle of who takes the presidential oath of office in 2021.
