KAYUNGA BY-ELECTION: Bobi Wine’s security guard, gardener arrested as campaigns heat up

National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine’s security guard and gardener have reportedly been arrested, Tuesday.

Kyagulanyi is expected to visit Kayunga district to headline the NUP candidate Harriet Nakwedde’s campaign meeting in the Kayunga chairperson by-election.

A joint force of police and army set up road blocks on all roads leading to Kyagulanyi’s home in Magere, in an attempt to prevent him from attending his scheduled meeting in Kayunga.

The NUP president said in a tweet that his guard and gardener had both been arrested “violently” amidst increased deployment at his gate.

“The military has increased deployment around my home. No one is allowed to leave or enter. Our security guard and gardener have been violently arrested, beaten and bundled into 'drones' outside our gate. Their phones confiscated,” Kyagulanyi said in a tweet.

Kyagulanyi said that the president places him under house arrest, and goes ahead to ferry people to see him (Museveni) in Kayunga.

“This is why we are not giving up until Uganda is free,” Kyagulanyi said.

https://twitter.com/hebobiwine/status/1470662574769426443?s=21

Kayunga Resident District Commissioner, Ssempala Kigozi, earlier said that the NUP leader “is not welcome” in Kayunga.

By press time, it was not yet clear if Kyagulanyi was under house arrest or already in Kayunga.

Meanwhile President Museveni is also expected to campaign for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Andrew Muwonge, in Kayunga later on Tuesday.

Museveni will headline campaigns in Kasonza and Busaana sub counties. Kayunga will go to the polls on Thursday, December 16.

The election result in Kayunga is being closely watched because this is the second time since 2018 that the NRM chairman President Museveni and NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi have met to stump for a candidate in the same area. In the last meet up in Arua in 2018, NUP backed candidate Kassiano Wadri emerged victorious.