Recklessness or Intended Rhetoric?: Bobi Urges Youth To Demonstrate Like Kenya’s Gen Z

The president of the National Unity Platform (NUP)Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine travelled to the western district of Bundibugyo on Monday for a party mobilization campaign. Upon arrival, Bobi found the security agencies particularly the police and military ready to guide his activities.

The largest opposition party leader had planned to open a new branch office, address supporters on a radio talk show, and hold a major rally at Booma Grounds.

However, police intervened, cancelling the radio talk show and redirecting the rally to another venue.

A standoff then ensued between police and party leadership, with the party insisting on their original program. Speaking to supporters shortly after opening their office, the party leader directed his camera crew to capture and “profile individual police officers breaking the law against us”, stating they would have to “answer for their actions.”

“We are law-abiding citizens, but we shall not obey illegal orders,” Bobi said.

Despite claims of commitment to peaceful and “non-violent” means, the party leader charged young people to rise and demonstrate, “emulating” their Kenyan counterparts.

“Yeah, we [NUP] are encouraging especially our young people in Uganda to emulate the young people of Kenya to take back their country and not rely only on politicians and always to remember that people’s power is stronger than the people in power,” Bobi said.

He reasoned, “Governments do not do what they are supposed to do unless they are pressured. So, the young people of Uganda should stand up to be counted.”

The party leader who accused the police of trying to provoke violence and disrespecting the law, emphasized the importance of “people power” and encouraged young people to stand up and be counted.

“The police are trying as much as possible to provoke us to violence because it is violence all they know. We want the world to see that we are non-violent, but still, we know that at a certain time, people will get tired of this humiliation, abuse of office by police officers,” a visibly tough Bobi said.

Earlier on, Police commanded by a police officer only identified as Wabwire, had first guided NUP leaders led by LoP Joel Ssenyonyi and Secretary General, Lewis Lubongoya on what to do if they had wanted to reach the venue from where they could address their supporters, which angered the party president into making his directives.

It’s noteworthy that Bobi who fired up Kenyan Generation Z during their demonstrations which were also graced by some of NUP supporters presumably with his tacit knowledge, had just returned to Uganda from his three-week international tour where he is said to have engaged in a series of strategic meetings.

Bobi’s directive came just hours after police warned organizers of #March2Parliament against inciting people into engaging in unlawful demonstrations.

The NUP leadership, led by its president Bobi are on their 5-day western region for their resumed mobilization tours.

Last week, Police and NUP leadership reached an agreement with police to resume activities stopped after the Masaka tour, during which three people died in an accident involving their motorcade.

According to the concession, NUP is restricted from moving a large number of vehicles, overspending, and carrying people on car roofs. On Tuesday, NUP’s activities are expected to continue to other districts in the western region.

The leadership has consistently emphasized the importance of civility and discipline in their activities. However, the party president’s statements have raised questions about his intentions and commitment to peaceful means he proclaims.