KITGUM — National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine has been blocked from campaigning in Kitgum District — with security forces claiming the popular candidate was likely to flout coronavirus containment rules.
Bobi Wine had gone to Kitgum for his presidential campaign after addressing massive rallies in Pakwach, Nebbi and Arua City on Tuesday.
“So we got to Kitgum at 3:00am this morning and found a roadblock at the entrance to the district,” Bobi Wine said, adding that: “They said they had orders for us not to step in the district at all”.
According to a campaigning schedule released by Electoral Commission, Bobi Wine was expected to campaign in three districts including Kitgum, Arua and Gulu City.
Earlier, Kitgum RDC, William Komakech reportedly said he’ll not allow Bobi Wine who on Tuesday pull out historic crowds in West Nile to campaign in Kitgum.
He claimed Bobi Wine program was clashing with that of another candidate, until late in the night when NUP leadership engaged the Electoral Commission on matter.
They later took Bobi Wine to a hotel owned by an NRM chairperson and said they had booked that place for his team and also insisted “we must address our people from a place far away from town and attempted to block us from proceeding to Kitgum”.
But the people of Kitgum resisted this the RDC and swarmed Bobi Wine team, leading to live bullets and teargas in Municipality.
Kyagulanyi decided to entertain his supporters with his revolutionary music after being blocked by the Kitgum RDC Komakech from holding his political rally at Christ the King church grounds in Kitgum District.
Apparently, Bobi Wine has not held his campaign meeting as planned. Kyagulanyi who was escorted by an enthusiastic crowd, headed for Pader district, was later intercepted along the way by police firing teargas to disperse crowds and manage traffic.
Thousands of his supporters who had gathered for the liberation message said blocking Bobi Wine from speaking to his supporters by the security forces shows how partisan the security forces are.
