Ugandan opposition leader and popular singer Bobi Wine has been arrested just after he was certified as a candidate in next year’s presidential election, his party says.
“They [police] used a hammer and broke the windows of his vehicle and forcefully dragged him out … they bundled him into their own vehicle and took off,” Joel Senyonyi, a spokesman for Wine’s NUP party, said on Tuesday.
The local NBS Television, reporting from the scene, said the singer was put into a police van amid violent scuffles between police and his supporters.
Police spokesman Luke Owoyesigire said he had yet to receive a briefing on the arrest and promised to comment later.
Wine, 38, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, aims to end President Yoweri Museveni’s 34-year rule, making him Africa’s third longest-ruling leader. Elections are scheduled for February next year.
“They [police] used a hammer and broke the windows of his vehicle and forcefully dragged him out … they bundled him into their own vehicle and took off,” Joel Senyonyi, a spokesman for Wine’s NUP party, said on Tuesday.
The local NBS Television, reporting from the scene, said the singer was put into a police van amid violent scuffles between police and his supporters.
Police spokesman Luke Owoyesigire said he had yet to receive a briefing on the arrest and promised to comment later.
Wine, 38, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, aims to end President Yoweri Museveni’s 34-year rule, making him Africa’s third longest-ruling leader. Elections are scheduled for February next year.
Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb reports.
– Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe
– Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
– Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
– Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
#AlJazeeraEnglish #Uganda