Police blocks Bobi Wine’s Osobola independence concert

Police has officially blocked the concert to be staged at One Love beach in Busaabala by Kyadondo East Member of Parliament, Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, the Nile Post has learnt.

In a letter dated October 2, signed by AIGP Asuman Mugyenyi on behalf of the Inspector General of Police titled, ‘notification of a music concert and request for security’, the force says they have “regrettably” canceled the concert for failure to heed to the minimum security standards asked of the organisers.

“This serves to inform you that the notice to the Inspector General of Police has remarkable efficiencies that do not guarantee lawfulness, safety and security for the public and the organisers. Regretfully, therefore, the staging of the said concert cannot be allowed to proceed until the concerns raised are satisfactorily addressed,” the letter reads in part.

In the letter, the Inspector General of Police says in the application to police, plans for medical care, traffic control, crowd control, and security were not clearly and specifically given due diligence as per the earlier guidelines given by the concert organisers and therefore police cannot risk allowing the event continue.

“Besides, police would not be able to fully provide the requested for security as our main effort will be on securing the national Independence Day celebrations in Sironko district.”

The Kampala Metropolitan Police commander and the Kampala South Regional Police Commander have been asked to make sure the concert does not go on because it has not met the required security measures put in place.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango confirmed the development and warned revelers against attending the blocked concert.

“We advise members of the public not to waste their valuable time going for the show in Busaabala because it will not be there. You can do something else instead of wasting time going to Busaabala,”Onyango told the Nile Post in a phone interview.

On Monday, Bobi Wine told journalists that the concert will go on, despite failure by police to respond to their letter.

“We are interpreting the silence from the police as a green light,”Bobi Wine said.

In September, Bobi Wine wrote to Police asking for clearance to be able to stage an Independence Day concert at his One Love Beach in Busaabala.

“I also request for security for the said concert. On our part, we are ready and willing to work with the police to secure the venue as well as the revelers. We shall accordingly comply with any lawful guidelines that may be issued in this regard,”Bobi Wine said in his September 30 letter to police.

The latest developments, however, spell fracas at Busabala as the legislator cum singer will try to ensure the concert takes place, despite a warning by police.

While answering questions from MPs over Bobi Wine’s banned concerts in December last year, Internal Affairs minister, Gen. Jeje Odongo said police continually bans the singer’s concerts because he uses them for political capital.