KAMPALA – National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, has added bribery to his litany of accusations against Yoweri Museveni in the election petition.
According to the amended petition filed on Sunday, February 7, 2021, Bobi Wine said Museveni, contrary to the Presidential Elections Act, misused the Emyooga initiative to bribe voters with money or material rewards.
Bobi Wine cited an incident when Museveni gave UGX300,000 each to members of 70,626 village local council countrywide.
He adds that Museveni also bribed artiste Ronald Mayinja, a former NUP member, and Andrew Mukasa Alfonse, alias Bajjo, a music promoter, gifts such as money and cars.
He said Bajjo stopped campaigning for him and started canvassing votes for Mr Museveni.
Mr Kyagulanyi also alleges that Mr Museveni, during the election period, gave a former NUP supporter Jennifer Nakangubi, aka Full Figure, money, vehicle and other gifts to withdraw her support for the party.
Others include Mr Arshburg Kato, his former friend and a social media influencer, who was given five cows and other gifts to support Mr Museveni.
The pre-hearing of Mr Kyagulanyi’s election petition will be held on Thursday.
Bobi Wine, in the earlier petition by his lawyers, asked court to nullify President Museveni’s victory, saying the election exercise was not conducted in accordance with the laws of the land.
“The election was invalid on grounds that it was not conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the provision of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, the Presidential Elections Act and the Electoral Commission Act,” his petition reads in part.
He added that the continued disruption of his campaigns by police and the army on many occasions, despite clearance from the relevant authorities also indicates that the election was not free and fair. Bobi Wine adds that there was multiple voting and ballot stuffing in various parts of the country during the elections while the transmission and tabulation of actual results of the presidential elections was not transparent.
“Contrary to section 3 and 2 of the Presidential Elections Act, officers of the Uganda Police Force and the UPDF on several occasions and in several parts of the country prevented the petitioner from carrying out his nationwide consultations in preparation for his nomination as a presidential candidate.”
Mr Kyagulanyi also accuses the Electoral Commission of banning his campaigns in some districts to favour NRM’s Yoweri Museveni.
