The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bobi Wine

  • Uganda opposition leader Bobi Wine says wife hospitalised after being choked by soldiers

    Uganda opposition leader Bobi Wine says wife hospitalised after being choked by soldiers

    Uganda’s opposition leader Bobi Wine said his wife had been taken to hospital after soldiers invaded their residence, partially undressed and choked her.

    Wine, a pop star-turned-politician, was not at the property and is in hiding after he escaped a previous raid on his home last week hours before he was announced as the runner-up in the January 15 presidential election.

    Overnight into Saturday, soldiers forcefully entered the opposition leader’s home in the Magere suburb in Kampala’s north, breaking down doors and beating up staff, Wine said in a post on X.

    Ugandan military spokesperson Chris Magezi could not immediately be reached for comment.

    Four-decade incumbent ruler Yoweri Museveni, 81, was declared winner of the vote with 71.6% against Wine’s 24%. Wine rejected the results, alleging extensive fraud including ballot stuffing.

    Read Also: Shell Global CEO hails Tinubu, says leadership driving planned $20bn investment

    During the raid on the residence, Wine said the soldiers held his wife Barbara Kyagulanyi at gunpoint, asking her to reveal his whereabouts.

    “They grabbed my wife’s phone, forced her to sit down, and ordered her to remove her password. She refused. They strangled her and insulted her,” Wine said.

    “They forcefully removed her blouse and took pictures… my wife was rushed to hospital where she remains admitted.”

    Uganda’s military chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also Museveni’s son, has demanded that Wine surrender to police or he would be treated as a rebel, and has also issued death threats to him.

    On Friday Kainerugaba also said authorities had killed 30 supporters of Wine’s party National Unity Platform (NUP) and detained 2,000 others. Wine has not been accused of any crime.

    Wine alleges that money, documents and other electronic gadgets were also taken during the raid.

    On Thursday U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the arrests and violence involving opposition figures and supporters.

    Rights groups and opposition critics have long accused Museveni of using the military to maintain his grip on power. Ruling party officials deny the accusations, and say Museveni’s long rule is due to popular support among the voters.

  • Uganda Police arrest pop star, Bobi Wine

    Ugandan popstar-turned-politician Bobi Wine was arrested on his way to give a police statement, Police Officials said on Monday.

    Wine has been charged with holding an illegal public assembly and detained at Naggalama police station, about 30 kilometres East of the capital Kampala, according to a police statement.

    Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has been under house arrest since Easter Monday after police prevented him from staging a music concert.

    Read Also: Uganda deports MTN chief executive

    The 37-year-old, who has said he plans to run for president in elections in 2021, has since called for mass protests.

    Wine, with a vocal presence on social media and has a large youth following, has become a thorn in the side of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country for over 30 years.

    The rapper made international headlines after an arrest in 2018, after saying he was tortured in detention.

    The government denies the charge.

    NAN

     

  • Chaka Chaka, Bobi Wine, Keke Ogungbe, others to speak at AFRIMA-Ghana

    As preparations for the 5th edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) gets to its peak, organisers have released a list of notable personalities who will be speaking at the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS), one of the activities lined up for the AFRIMA, taking place in Accra, Ghana from December 21 to 24, 2018.

    They include, renowned South African music superstar, Yvonne Chaka Chaka; Ugandan music activist and parliamentarian, Bobi Wine; Internationally acclaimed video and audio disk jockey, DJ Van; Nigerian music executive, Kenny Ogungbe; Ghanaian entertainment and media owner, Bola Ray; and President of the Musicians Union of Ghana, MUSIGA, Bice Osei Kuffour also known as Obour.

    They are expected to be joined by other well-known African and international music Intellects, professionals and enthusiasts for discussions and networking during the 2018 AMBS, scheduled for Thursday, November 22 at the Ballroom, Kempinski Hotel, Accra.

    Running under the theme: “African Music in a Global Village: Leveraging the Opportunities”, AMBS is a platform for business networking and interaction among music professionals, music executives, government officials and other stakeholders in the music, arts, entertainment, and financial sectors of Africa. It creates an engaging environment for discussions on how the potentials present in the continent’s music industry can be fully harnessed for socio-economic gains.

    Organisers say the 5th AFRIMA Summit will be opened with welcome address by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Ghana, Honourable Catherine Afeku, representative of the government of Republic of Ghana, the Official Host Country of the 5th AFRIMA-Ghana. It will also feature a keynote address from the Commissioner of Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Her Excellency, Mrs. Amira Elfadil.

    These will be followed by two panel sessions and each session populated with experienced panelists who have broad ranging professional practice from the relevant sectors of culture, music and entertainment around the globe. The first session will feature a Master Class on Song writing, which will be coordinated by Joe Chialo (Senior Vice President A&R Universal Music Central Europe & Africa).

    Ms. Chaka Chaka will deliver the panel paper for the first session on the topic “Africa as a Brand: The Role of Music and Culture”. Confirmed panellists for session one include: Bobi Wine (music artiste, member of Ugandan Parliament, entrepreneur & humanitarian); Bice Osei Kuffour also known as Obour (President, Musicians Union of Ghana, MUSIGA); Gervais Hugues Ondaye (Cultural Operator &  General Director of the International Festival of Traditional Music (FESPAM), Congo Brazzaville); Kenny Ogungbe (Music producer, Record Label owner, television host & Media Owner); Betty G (music artiste & 5th AFRIMA nominee); and Hamza El Fadly (music artiste & 5th AFRIMA nominee).

    The paper presentation for the second session will be done by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Cultural Diplomacy Expert, Damien Pwono, who was recently appointed Secretary General of the International Music Council at UNESCO in Paris, on the topic “Building Sustainable Partnerships in the Music Ecosystem”. Panellists for this session will include Nat Kwabena Anokye-Adisi also known as Bola Ray (CEO, Excellence in Broadcasting, EIB, Network Ghana); Gaz Mawete (music artiste & 5th AFRIMA nominee); DJ Van (music artiste & 5th AFRIMA nominee); Daphne (music artiste & 5th AFRIMA nominee) and Rab Bakari (Producer, entrepreneur, DJ and artist agent).

    Expressing gratitude to AFRIMA for the great opportunity, Ms. Chaka Chaka commented, “I am happy to show my support for the AFRIMA Awards in Ghana. I always say that I am an African first and we need to support one another”.

    Attending the summit will be stakeholders in the Arts, Culture and entertainment sectors including; music artiste/songwriters, music producers, record label owners, owners of publishing/entertainment companies, associations of music professional, policymakers in the art and culture sector, lawyers, journalist, students and many more.

    Meanwhile, music lovers across the continent and diaspora are in anticipation towards the 5th AFRIMA-GHANA 2018, the awards ceremony will have the Ghanaian-born American actor and comedian, Michael Blackson, South Africa’s talented TV personality, Pearl Thusi, and Ghana’s award-winning multilingual media personality, Anita Erskine host the star-studded world-class music event.

    The Business Summit will be followed by AFRIMA Music Village also on November 22 from 5.00 p.m. till dawn at the Independence Square, Accra; a Guided Tour of the notable sites and landmarks in the Host City on November 23, and the 5th AFRIMA Nominees Party from 10.00 p.m.; while the main awards ceremony will hold on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at the Accra International Conference Centre, AICC, Ghana. The 5th AFRIMA, Ghana 2018 will be broadcast live to over 84 countries around the world.

  • Protests in Uganda after lawmakers detained at airport

    Protests erupted in the Ugandan capital on Friday after police detained two lawmakers at the international airport as they prepared to travel abroad for medical care, witnesses said,

    People demonstrated in different parts of Kampala, burning tires and piling rocks and other barricades in the middle of the roads.

    Police said the protests were limited and had been contained.

    The lawmakers, Robert Kyagulanyi and Francis Zaake, say they were tortured by security forces while in detention.

    They were trying to leave to seek medical treatment abroad when they were arrested at Kampala’s international airport on Thursday night.

    Kyagulanyi’s lawyer last week told Reuters that his client had been left unable to stand after being beaten while in detention.

    When he appeared in court a day after his lawyer spoke, he was unable to walk without help.

    ReadAlso: Ugandan lawmaker re-arrested on new treason charges

    Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo last week dismissed the lawyer’s comments as rubbish

    “Protesters blocked the roads using garbage cans and burning tyres. Motorists have to get alternative routes to the city centre.

    Soldiers and riot police are still clearing the roads,” Nvule told Reuters.

    Police spokesman Luke Owoyesigyire said police were monitoring the city to ensure no illegal rallies took place.

    The two parliamentarians were among a group of five lawmakers who were detained on Aug. 13 in Uganda’s northwestern town of Arua and accused of throwing stones at a presidential convoy during the campaign for a parliamentary seat.

    Police said on Thursday they had stopped Kyagulanyi, who has been charged with treason but released on bail, as they awaited further guidance.

    Zaake has not been charged but has been in hospital in Kampala. Images of him posted on social media show him lying on a bed, eyes closed, with multiple bruises on his hand and other body areas.

    Kyagulanyi in particular has risen as a formidable threat to President Yoweri Museveni’s 32-year rule, winning popular support through his music and strong criticism of the government.

  • Ugandan lawmaker re-arrested on new treason charges

    The Ugandan lawmaker whose treason charge was withdrawn by the Military, has been re-arrested and again charged with treason, the state broadcaster reported on Thursday.

    Robert Kyagulanyi appeared before a military court on Thursday to face charges of unlawful weapons possession.

    Read Also: Ugandan legislators throw chairs in fight over presidential age limit

    The court ordered those charges dropped, but he was then taken into civilian custody on new treason charges, UBC TV reported.

    Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-lawmaker who goes by the stage name Bobi Wine, and four other lawmakers were arrested on August 13 on suspicion of involvement in the stoning of a presidential convoy during a parliamentary by-election campaign.

    NAN