Protesters take to the streets after politician banned from leaving
Protests erupted in Uganda’s capital yesterday after police blocked a pop star-turnedopposition politician from leaving for the United States for treatment after alleged torture while in detention, while the government accused hospital workers of refusing to help police take his statement.
The actions by security forces have escalated a political dispute between the government of long-time president Yoweri Museveni and a youthful generation that fears he intends to rule for life after 32 years in power.
Bobi Wine – whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, 36 – was stopped on Thursday night while trying to board a flight at the Entebbe airport, lawyer Asuman Basalirwa said. He was checked into a hospital in the capital, Kampala, in a “worrying condition,” the lawyer said.
Mr Ssentamu had been freed on bail on Monday but faced no travel restrictions after he and several other politicians were charged with treason over an incident in which the president’s motorcade was pelted with stones and Mr Ssentamu’s driver was shot dead. A lawyer for the singer has called the charge false.
Mr Ssentamu has emerged as a powerful opposition voice among youth frustrated by Mr Museveni, especially after the constitution was changed last year to remove an age limit on the presidency. The singer won a parliament seat last year without the backing of a political party.
Dozens of global musicians includingchrismartin,angelique Kidjo and Brian Eno last week issued an open letter condemning the treatment of Mr Ssentamu, who in his first public appearance after his arrest had to walk with support and appeared to cry.
On Thursday, police “violently abducted” Mer Ssentamu and put him into a police ambulance, another lawyer, Nicholas Opiyo, said on Twitter. Mr Ssentamu’s wife, Barbara, said in a Facebook post that her husband “groaned in pain” as he shouted for help.
Authorities earlier on Thursday stopped another lawmaker, Francis Zaake, from boarding a plane to India, saying he was a suspect in a criminal case. Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said Mr Zaake, who has not been charged with any crime, escaped police custody “and should be arrested”.
Mr Opondo yesterday said Mr Ssentamu couldn’t travel abroad without court authorisation. “What if he goes and doesn’t come back yet there are pending charges against him?” the spokesman asked in comments tweeted by the government’s press office.
A medical examination also was needed because politicians had alleged torture but hospital officials were refusing to co-operate with police to get their statement, the spokesman said.