KAMPALA – Police are gathering statements and other evidence in regard to Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine’s remarks he made in Luweero District on Friday last week with a view to charging him with promoting sectarianism and hate speech.
According to Police spokesman Fred Enanga, after collecting the statements and beefing up the general inquiries file, they will consult the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the way forward.
“CID is still gathering statements and trolling social media for some of that footage, so we are still at that stage. We believe that once the investigations are built, we shall seek the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and get back to the public,” Mr Enanga told journalists in Kampala on Monday, 11 September 2023.
While at Kasana playgrounds in Luweero Town Council on Friday last week, the National Unity Platform (NUP) president is said to have called upon the Baganda to rise up against President Museveni, whom he accused of building his dynasty on their ancestors’ land.
“Fellow Baganda, who bewitched you? Museveni thinks he is going to build his dynasty on the land of our ancestors in Buganda. Over my dead body, that will not happen,” he charged.
The singer cum politician claimed that if President Museveni is not spending taxpayers’ money on his birthday celebrations, then he is spending it on the birthday celebrations of his son who is a “kigwagwa” loosely translated as a lumpen.
Section 41 of the Penal Code Act says that a person who prints, publishes, makes or utters any statement or does any act which is likely to —(a)degrade, revile or expose to hatred or contempt;(b)create alienation or despondency of;(c)raise discontent or disaffection among; or(d)promote, in any other way, feelings of ill will or hostility among or against, any group or body of persons on account of religion, tribe or ethnic or regional origin commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
But the remarks have since kicked of storm, with some condemning him for resurrecting tribal sentiments in the country while others defended him for what they describe as speaking the truth.
The executive director of the Uganda Media Centre, Mr Ofwono Opondo, said Bobi Wine’s remarks should not be coming from a leader.
“Ordinarily it doesn’t serve much useful purpose engaging in chauvinistic diatribe, but Kyagulanyi, president of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, message last Friday to a crowd in Luweero town on his country tour stop over shouldn’t go unexamined,” he said.
Hudu Hussein, a resident district commissioner, urged NUP leaders to rein in on Bobi Wine.
“We expect people like Mathias Mpuga, Merdard Ssegona, Abed Bwanika and others to reign over Hon Kyagulanyi and tell him that where he is taking this country is where we were before. We may take this for granted, but people sacrificed a lot for this country,” he added.
But Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, a lecturer at Makerere University and writer, said: “The easiest way to settle the tribalism accusations is to conduct a public institutions audit to tell us how different parts of Uganda are represented. You would think that this would exonerate those who say they are falsely accused, but they resist the suggestion still!”
Simon Kaggwa Njala, a journalist, said, “Well, the country is now consumed by tribal card politics debate. There’d be some good & bad in it. How far it goes should be our worry. How we got here sh’d also be concerning. How we get out of it MUST be our business. We need a national dialogue to heal this nation. Urgently!”
Rosebell Kagumire, an activist, tweeted: “We even have a charge of sectarianism reserved for silencing such debate/talk. Let them counter this if they see it as false, provide details of how the National cake or whatever is left of it is being distributed beyond few figure heads and talking heads.”
David Lewis Rubongoya, the NUP Secretary General said: “For some reason, some NRM apologists think that using strong language to address their ruler is worse than abducting, torturing, illegally detaining and murdering our people with impunity. SMH”
Bobi Wine on Sunday stuck to his remarks. “They openly practice tribalism and nepotism in every sphere and institution, but they’re not ashamed to blame those who expose it and call them out. What a bunch of hypocrites!”
