Who Benefits When Bobi Wine Music Performances Are Stopped? World Reacts

As news filtered in about police blocking Bobi Wine from performing at a music event in Jinja, the world followed every moment with fear of Arua fracas being repeated.

“So police has raided City Hotel in Jinja town where we were resting ahead of the show tonight. They arrested many of our team members. As we speak, the police is surrounding the entire neighborhood looking for me everywhere! What offence? For showing up to perform at a show which they themselves cleared! We arrived in Jinja in broad daylight to a massive and peaceful reception by our friends here. I wonder why police waited for darkness to fall before starting to carry out these evil plans! We shall overcome!”

This was a distressing message that reminded people of what happened in Arua where soldiers and police beat up people that would put shame to the whole country in the face of the world.

US lawmakers and lawyers have condemned what they called arbitrary arrests and persecution of Bobi Wine by security agencies in Uganda.

This UPDATE did not help situation, “The police has ordered our team out of Jinja town on gun-point, and escorted them up to Lugazi. They have beaten some of them, dragged them onto police pick-up cars and driven them to unknown destinations for no offence whatsoever”.

“They have beaten some of them, dragged them onto police pick-up cars and driven them to unknown destinations for no offence whatsoever. Meanwhile, I am still in Jinja town. The police are looking for me everywhere. They have even blocked some roads in search for me! I will try not to avail myself to them- Arua is still fresh in our minds, and we know what they can do. But this injustice must end and we must put it to an end by ourselves. No one else will do it for us,” Mr Kyagulanyi posted on his social media platforms on Saturday evening.

*_However, US Congressman Bradley Sherman_* reacted saying Ugandan government must commit to essential principle of freedom of speech.
“Earlier this year (September 2018) I met with Bobi Wine after he was brutally beaten and detained by Ugandan security forces for speaking out against corruption. Today they have reportedly surrounded him and his team. The Ugandan government must commit to the essential principle of freedom of speech,” Mr Sherman tweeted Sunday morning.

*_Earlier, California Democratic Rep. Karen Bass had also condemned the actions by Uganda security agencies._*

“Reports are coming out that Bobi Wine may be in danger in Uganda. Stifling freedom of speech and expression and arbitrary arrests have no place in a democracy,” she tweeted.

*_Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark also urged Uganda to allow opposition space._*

“Disturbing reports from Uganda where Opposition MP Bobi Wine is again in hiding following police violently arresting members of his concert crew. Bobi was badly hurt in an earlier violent arrest and detention. Government must allow opposition space,” she tweeted.

Meanwhile, Mr. President is still in Jinja town. The police are looking for him everywhere. They have even blocked some roads in search for him!
The president says:
‘I will try not to avail myself to them- Arua is still fresh in our minds, and we know what they can do. But this injustice must end and we must put it to an end by ourselves. No one else will do it for us’

Facts from Bobi Wine’s team.
1. Bobi Wine travelled in afternoon to Jinja to perform alongside other artists at Trans Africa.
2. Police whether on their own or through other hands called the promoter and asked him to scrap off Bobi Wine from list of Performers for reasons best known to them.
3. Bobi Wine was paid in advance to perform tonight.
4. Because of the love, crowds gathered to cheer Bobi Wine up, they asked him to come out of the sun screen opening and wave to them as they drove in town to look for where to rest as they prepare for performance.
5. He and his entourage drove to City Hotel where police besieged it in bid to arrest him and da crew.
6. Some of da crew members been arrested and others where forcefully dragged out of Jinja escorted at gun point and police pick-up
trucks up till Lugazi.
7. Some of the crew members have been assaulted by Police.
8. Bobi Wine is still somewhere safe in Jinja

US Congressman Bradley Sherman, Congress member Karen Bass, former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch boss condemn police manhunt of Bobi Wine in Jinja town.

Bobi’s Canadian-American lawyer Robert Amsterdam called it “brazen act of targeted political repression”.

Police has raided a hotel in Jinja town and attempting to arrest Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wineafter his team was arrested ahead of a show.