PAKWACH/NEBBI/ARUA — National Unity Platform (NUP) Flag Bearer Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has carried out a marathon of rallies on Tuesday in which he barnstormed West Nile region and ended the day with a historic rally in Arua City.
At Pakwach where he started the day, Mr. Kyagulanyi—popular name—Bobi Wine delivered a lacerating critique of his opponent Yoweri Museveni—denouncing the long serving president’s plan of using anti-coronavirus measures like bans on public gatherings to secure an advantage and stymie preparations by opponents.
Bobi Wine also ridiculed the incumbent president of using the military to protect his regime and said his administration would immediately put an end to this.
Addressing a boisterous crowd of thousands of his supporters who were donned in red clothes, berets, and ribbons tied on their heads, Bobi Wine said his administration would immediately cater for the elderly economically and added that he was saddened by extreme poverty in the region despite their area being so rich.
“That disrespect to our fathers and mothers is going to go with Museveni’s regime. My government will treat elders with care. Right now, we have a national budget that is to cater for the elderly, but it is only favoring Museveni’s people. We would not be here if had no elders and one day, we will all be elders,” he said.
At 38, Bobi Wine who is half Museveni’s age, also said the 76-year-old who is seeking a sixth term in office is instead using public finances such as elderly funds to reward loyalists and expand his support.
Bob Wine has won support among a youthful population who have only ever known one president also promised to revive the railway line which he said would boost the transportation of goods linking to South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo, North West of Country.
“Once upon a time, there was a railway line that came to Pakwach, but now it is destroyed. In the new leadership, we shall restore the railway lines. This is a rich region,” he said, throwing both the elderly and the young people into jubilation.
After his rally at Pakwach —on the main highway leading to Nebbi and Arua City—songs of praise for Bobi Wine blared through speakers and were danced to by his supporters.
At Nebbi SS Grounds, where he found a historic crowd that ushered him into the campaign venue said he would address the massive land grabbing, poor road system, poverty, poor health and poor education services that have persisted in the Alur land over the last 35 years of Museveni administration.
He asked the youth to take center stage and protect their vote.
In Arua City, security had been heightened and a number of his supporters denied access to the venue but they later overpowered security forces to the campaigning venue amid heavy downpour.
Bobi Wine said all his pledges are achievable and realistic, “if we only refocus our energies on the next generation and not the next general election”.
“Our promise to improve the welfare of our security forces is eliciting uncalled for threats from regime operatives. I actually meant every word I said. As soon as we have state power, we shall substantially raise the salaries of the Police, military and prison officers”
President Museveni who got a few supporters in Luwero on Monday some of whom were holding Bobi Wine’s posters at different trading cents where he made stopovers immediately changed the strategy said: “W are running a purely scientific campaign because of this terrible pandemic. I implore you to stay safe, our different leaders will engage you at your respective grassroots structures”.
In power since 1986, Museveni’s tenure is only surpassed in Africa by Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang, who has ruled since 1979 and Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who has ruled since 1982.
