Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known by his stage name as Bobi Wine, remains under house arrest for the 8th day. On the 4th day of house arrest he tweeted that he, his wife and 18 month old niece had run out of food.
The military has placed him and his family under siege, and members of his opposition party have disappeared.
World Leaders Ignore Uganda Crisis
World leaders have largely ignored the dictatorial abuse and apparent election steal by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who is now in his 36th year of his presidency.
On 14th December 2020, Amnesty International released an article entitled “Uganda: Stop killings and human rights violations ahead of election day. Amnesty International’s Regional director for East and Southern Africa, is quoted saying “With a month to go to the polls, it is not too late for the Ugandan authorities to turn the tide and ensure respect for the human rights of everyone. Neither is it too late for the region, continent and the international community at large to speak out on the ongoing repression and crackdown on human rights in Uganda, and to push for the government to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights of its own people.”
South African President Ramaphosa has yet to make an official statement regarding the Ugandan election and situation, but as Chair of the African Union he is said to be in communication with President Museveni.
On 16th January 2021, the United Kingdom gave a statement following the presidential elections in Uganda. It begins with: “The UK Government welcomes the relatively calm passing of the elections in Uganda and notes the re-election of H.E. Yoweri Museveni as President.” It ends with: “The UK is a steadfast advocate for Ugandan democracy and we will continue to work to achieve inclusive democratic progress that delivers for future generations. As a longstanding partner, we urge Uganda to continue to strive to meet its own international human rights commitments, including respecting the right to freedom of opinion, freedom of expression and freedom of the media.”
This statement was released by the UK ironically on the same day that Ugandan MP Zaake Francis Butebi was brutally beaten, ending up in hospital, when he arrived at Bobi Wine’s home in order to check on him.
Nigerian Human Rights Lawyer takes the case to UN Working Group on Arbitrary Arrest
Nigerian human rights lawyer Femi Falana filed the below complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Arrest, on behalf of Bobi Wine. In his tweet he wrote “We are challenging my continued illegal confinement by the Ugandan police and the military!”
Today, 21st January 2021, Bobi Wine tweeted:
We continue to hope that Africa’s democracies will win, and that freedom and human rights will be honoured and respected. We await feedback from the South African government.
