President Museveni’s car stoned during campaigns, Bobi Wine arrested

Uganda president Yoweri Museveni: A car in his entourage was Monday stoned during campaigns in the Arua by-election.  [File, Standard]

Opposition supporters in Uganda on Monday evening stoned one of the vehicles in President Yoweri Museveni’s convoy as the Arua Municipality by-election campaigns hot up.

“President Museveni’s car was hit by opposition supporters this evening in Arua town. The police will issue a statement on this incident shortly,” senior presidential press secretary Don Wanyama posted on his Twitter account.

In a statement, police spokesperson Emilian Kayima blamed it on supporters of Kassian Wadri whom he accused of targeting the president’s convoy.

“There was a scuffle as Wadri’s supporters attacked the presidential motorcade as it left Arua Boma grounds where President Museveni had addressed Nusura Tiperu’s last rally,” Kayima said. Tiperu is the ruling NRM candidate.

The police spokesman said in an earlier incident, Wadri’s supporters had tried to block the presidential motorcade but security forces intervened.

A number of people including MPs Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine and Francis Zaake Butebi were arrested.

Bobi Wine, the Kyadondo East Member of Parliament, was picked up by security personnel and driven to an unknown destination.

A relative says the MP is being held by police in a place they can’t locate. Earlier, his driver Kawuma Yasin was shot dead in the Arua chaos where final campaigns to replace slain legislator Ibrahim Abiriga, had just climaxed.