Ugandan singer-cum political activist Bobi Wine is set to challenge incumbent Yoweri Museveni for the presidency when the country goes to the polls next year, APA can report on Wednesday.While launching his opposition People Power movement as a political party called the National Unity Platform on Wednesday, the MP whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu urged Ugandans to rally behind him as the hope for a fresh new dawn in the country.
Since Ssentamu founded his People Power movement last year, many in Uganda see the red-beret activist as a new political force that President Museveni and his National Resistance Movement party must have to reckon with in the next election.
38-year-old Wine became popular after opposing moves by Museveni to extend his stay in power and went on to contest as an independent candidate and eventually won a seat in the national assembly in 2017.
Museveni 75, has led Uganda since 1986 and his allies have picked up nomination papers for him to run for a sixth term in office while MPs have removed age limit as a stumbling block clearing the path for him contest for the presidency.
His security forces who were accused of high-handed measures against opposition figures had detained Wine severally, including for alleged treason.
On Tuesday Wine’s supporters clashed with police in several districts of Kampala as law enforcers moved to enforce a ban on social gatherings thanks to fears about a spike in coronavirus cases.
Under Uganda’s Covid-19 regulations, rallies are banned.
The government say Wine and other opposition figures have repeatedly flouted these restrictions and incited young people to commit violence with a view to rendering the country ungovernable.
Wine has denied the allegation.
Responding to his critics in the government a statement attributed to Wine said: “We have consistently said that we are a non-violent movement and we have no plans of establishing a military wing”.
“What we are doing today is to launch a political wing of our movement so as to ensure that our mission to use the election as a strategy within the liberation struggle succeeds” he added.
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