UPDF vows to crush group threatening to block Museveni swearing-in

The UPDF has vowed to crush a group of individuals who have threatened to block President Museveni's swearing-in for the sixth term.

As the inauguration ceremony set for May 12 nears, a pressure group based in South Africa named "Time is Now" has threatened to block the ceremony.

The pressure group last week organised a fundraising dinner in which over  R200,000 which is about 50 million Uganda shillings was collected at a function held at   Southern Sun hotel in the heart of Pretoria city.

The dinner was an invite-only event that according to impeccable sources was attended by long-serving Ugandan professionals living in different cities of South Africa, friends of Uganda from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Rwanda.

Addressing journalists on Monday, UPDF spokesperson, Brig Flavia Byekwaso said security has got wind of the group's plans, adding that they are closely following them.

"These people think they can achieve their objectives through different ways and means. Intelligence has picked information to this effect. Any person who stands in the path of peace and stability of this country becomes an enemy of the country and shall therefore be dealt with decisively, "Byekwaso said.

The group  last week marched on South African streets with placards and posters denouncing President Museveni's swearing-in ceremony and asked the international community to intervene in the matter.

Addressing journalists on Monday, the army spokesperson displayed some of the posters that she said had been confiscated from the streets after being pinned up by members of the group.

"They are inviting Ugandans along with tribal sentiments and we have confiscated their posters. We ask members of the public to desist from these acts because they are not productive, "Brig Byekwaso said.

Asked whether security has yet made any arrests, the army spokesperson said whereas no one has been arrested, they are closely following up leads and that soon they will take action.

"This is to sound a warning to anyone harboring such plans to abandon them. We know where you are and this is not a joke."

The same group had earlier organised demonstrations against President Museveni's swearing-in but a number of them were arrested by security.

Opposition National Unity Platform president, Robert Kyagulanyi, the runner-up in the just-concluded January 14  polls has on several occasions disputed its outcome and urged supporters to challenge President Museveni’s election.

Kyagulanyi, who declared himself the winner of the January 14 presidential election asked his supporters to reclaim his 54.19% victory that he said was robbed from him by the Electoral Commission by joining “peaceful” protests in several parts of the country.

President Museveni early this month warned no one will stop his swearing in ceremony.

“The opposition has been planning to stop the swearing-in of the president, they won’t because the security forces will stop them. They won’t stop swearing-in. Security forces will go for him or her,” Museveni said.

“They plan all crazy things like killing opposition themselves and claim it is government. To conspire to do that is a crime. I advise them to drop it. I am happy many youths are refusing to follow the criminal plans of their leaders. You can’t disrupt Uganda. Whoever is telling you is deceiving you.”