Head of the Born Again Faith Federation in Uganda Apostle Dr. Joseph Serwadda has condemned the recent violence witnessed in Arua Municipality as President Yoweri Museveni and MP Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine, campaigned for candidates in the parliamentary by-election.
Dr Serwadda told a state linked news daily that the saddening thing is that violence is happening to fellow Ugandans, “people we love and need.”
The unrest happened just after candidates and their supporters were heading back to their offices and homes after campaigning.
Shortly after, Kyagulanyi tweeted, “Police have shot my driver dead thinking they’ve shot at me. My hotel is now cordoned off by police and Special Forces Command.”
Presidential spokesman Don Wanyama also tweeted, posting photos of Museveni’s armored car with the hind window completely smashed. The spokesman said the president’s car had been attacked by opposition supporters. Museveni was said to be uninjured.
Social media went ablaze when reports later on Monday surfaced of Bobi Wine and Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake’s arrest and detention.
Over 35 people including journalists and other civilians were roundly cordoned off. Bobi Wine’s driver, Yasin Kawuma was killed during the scuffle.
“Such acts demonstrate how immature we are in matters of leadership and respect for each other,” Dr Serwadda said, according to the New Vision.
Speaking to journalists, the Catholic Archbishop of Gulu, John Baptist Odama asked President Museveni not to treat the members of the opposition “as enemies, but as his brothers.”
In a joint statement issued Friday by the European Union and heads of missions from the Austrian, Belgium, Danish, French, Germany, Irish, Italian, Swedish, British, Norwegian and Iceland embassies, diplomats said they are “deeply concerned” with events that occurred before and after the Arua municipality by-election.
What President Museveni said
In a statement posted on his facebook timeline on Wednesday, President Museveni blamed the violence “on the weak management by the police and some opposition elements.”
“I always insist on singling out the grandchildren because I want them to be conversant with our rich experiences spanning a period of 58 years. The elements of the Opposition, including Kassiano Wadri, Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) and others, who stoned our convoy, including my vehicle,” the statement read.
“The stones they threw broke the rear glass window of the car where we transport luggage. That window glass is not armoured. There was no harm on the old man with a hat,” he said, adding: “It is a big shame to have such confused people who want to use violence to intimidate Ugandans. Nobody has a right to intimidate any Ugandan by word or action,” it added.
