Addressing his supporters in Mbale City, Mr. Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine and leader of the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party, called on the European Union (EU) and the United States government to cease funding the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government of Uganda. Bobi Wine accused the NRM government of using these funds to perpetuate oppression and violence against Ugandans.
Addressing a crowd at the Busamaga Playgrounds, Bobi Wine declared, “This is a message to the EU and the Americans, We are not asking you to remove the dictator; we are asking you to stop sponsoring the dictator.” He continued, “This is the time to put an end to the puppets of neo-colonialism. Museveni is an agent of neo-colonialism. Museveni has turned us into slaves in our own motherland.”
The EU, in addition to providing medium and long-term development assistance, offers humanitarian aid to Uganda through the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG-ECHO). In 2022, the EU allocated €34 million (Shs135 billion) in humanitarian aid to Uganda, with a total funding commitment of more than €240 million (Shs956 billion) since 2017.
When contacted, Mr. Emmanuel Gyezaho, the Press and Information Officer at the Delegation of the European Union to Uganda, stated that they follow a process to respond to comments made by leaders, suggesting that an email be sent to provide context for the comments made by Bobi Wine.
Efforts to obtain comments from government officials, including Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, and Mr. Ofwono Opondo, the Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre and government spokesperson, were unsuccessful as calls went unanswered and phone numbers were unreachable.
Earlier in the day, residents of Mbale City gathered in anticipation of Bobi Wine’s arrival, singing songs in his praise. When he arrived, supporters surrounded his car to catch a glimpse of the musician-turned-politician. He was subsequently led to the NUP offices on Pallisa Road to inaugurate the facility.
During his address, Bobi Wine clarified that his nationwide tour was not aimed at seeking votes but rather at urging the masses to rise up against the ruling NRM government, which has been in power since 1986. He attributed the lack of interference from security forces during the tour to President Museveni’s fear of international repercussions. He referenced a previous attempt to address the public when he was prevented from doing so and suggested that video evidence had been recorded and submitted to the International Criminal Court.
Mr. Muwanga Kivumbi, the Butambala MP, urged the public not to be swayed by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the first son and presidential advisor on special operations, stating, “Uganda is not a monarchy. What good can we expect from him after what his dad has done to us? We should vote for change.” Mr. Zaake Francis, the Mityana Municipality MP, emphasized the need for a peaceful transition and declared, “We need to take over this government without bloodshed.”
Bobi Wine’s call to halt international funding to the Ugandan government has added fuel to the ongoing political debate in the country, as Uganda continues to grapple with political tensions and calls for change.
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