Bobi Wine denounces ban of signature headgear as sham

Defiant Ugandan musician turned politician Robert kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine has scoffed off the clampdown on their ‘opposition regalia’.

The combative MP yesterday denounced Yoweri Museveni’s ban of civilians wearing red berets as an attempt to suffocate his quest for democracy in the east African country.

The red berets have been the signature symbol of Bobi Wine’s People Power movement that seeks to end Museveni’s long-time reign.

A near similar beret is worn, although rarely, by top Ugandan military bosses like the Major General while the other paramilitary mostly don a green one.

“This beret ban is a sham. It is a blatant attempt to suffocate a successful threat to the autocratic status quo,” Wine said in a statement.

The Ugandan government gazetted the red beret among other military wear as property of the state and anyone selling or wearing them now risks a life sentence.

"The dress code for the UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Forces] has been gazetted. The action was endorsed by the top organs of the army which also commended the dress committee for concluding the task assigned to it years back," army spokesman Richard Karemire said on Monday.

Bobi wine, however, said that the ban will not deter him from fighting for a democratic Uganda.

“People power is more than a red beret, we are bigger than our symbol. We are booming a political movement fighting for the future of Uganda and we will continue our struggle for democracy,” he maintained.

The former musician has been at the centre of altercations with the Ugandan government since he became a legislator in 2017.

Last year he was beaten, arrested and detained as he campaigned in a parliamentary by-election and he had to seek treatment in the US.

Hitherto, he has amassed a large support base among young Ugandans who have been wooed by his bold criticism of President Museveni.