Bobi Wine asks West to sanction Museveni, Muhoozi

The president of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, has implored the West to place a coterie of senior government officials, including President Museveni, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, on the sanctions list.

He made the comments during a news conference at the NUP party offices in Kampala yesterday where he accused the officials of participating in egregious human rights abuses and corruption.

Mr Kyagulanyi also said the sanctions should target the Director of Crime Intelligence, Brig Christopher Ddamulira, and the chairperson of Uganda Human Rights Commission, Ms Mariam Wangadya. On Tuesday, UK Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell announced sanctions targeting Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and former ministers for Karamoja Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu.

The officials are accused of stealing thousands of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable communities in Karamoja.

“UK sanctions [against Anita Among] are fruits of our international engagement and that is why it was tweeted by the Speaker of the UK Parliament and a number of MPs, but indeed this followed our engagements the last time I was in the UK. But not only us because there are so many Ugandans that are pushing for these sanctions from the UK, USA, and many other development partners,” Mr Kyagulanyi said.

 “Travel bans, asset freezes and others may not put the corrupt and brutal officials in prison but at least they go far to block them from enjoying with impunity or even investinging their stolen money in those countries,” he added.

Hours after the sanctions announcement, Parliament’s Director of Communication Chris Obore accused the UK of targeting the Speaker over her strident position on the Anti-Homosexuality Act.

However, Mr Kyagulanyi dismissed Mr Obore’s reasoning, referring to it as “an ignorant lie” meant to hoodwink the public from holding the speaker accountable for her unlawful acts.

“I want to ask, the mover of that law [AHA] is Honourable Asuman Basalirwa, why is he not sanctioned?” he wondered. Mr Kyagulanyi said the new approach to directly engage Western powers and the donor community is prompted by the government’s agenda to torpedo a vibrant civil society and independent institutions.

However, the Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, Mr Ofwono Opondo,  criticised Bobi Wine for siding with the West.

“There is no reason why a Ugandan should be happy because of a decision taken by a foreign country, they should be happy if Ugandans rise to a level of holding their leaders accountable, so, that  exposes Kyagulanyi’s lack of depth. These sanctions are individual,  not institutional, so those sanctioned can continue to delegate people to these countries for official duties,”  he said.

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