The leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP) Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine has backed Dr Kizza Besigye’s protest against the high cost of living in Uganda.
Wine said he stands in solidarity with the leader of People’s Front for Transition(PFT), Dr. Kizza Besigye who is currently under house arrest.
Besigye was on last week Thursday, intercepted by security operatives and put under house arrest for trying to mobilise protests against the high cost of living in the country.
For five days now, Besigye has not been allowed to move out of his home in Kasangati. Members of the public and journalists have also been barred from meeting him.
On Monday, Kyagulanyi said he was aware of Besigye’s siege and that he is standing in solidarity with his fellow friend in the struggle.
“Standing in solidarity with you Dr. Kizza Besigye as you approach your 5th day under house arrest; a punishment you are being subjected to for daring to protest against the skyrocketing cost of living.”
The NUP principle added that whereas his camp and that of Besigye disagree on approaches to remove president Museveni’s regime, that doesn’t take away the fact that they hold him in high esteem.
“The differences in our respective political approaches have not blinded us to the honour, fortitude and commitment with which you have gone about resisting oppression.”
On Monday, police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said they are still holding Besigye under house arrest to halt his plans of organising unlawful processions and assemblies in the city.
“He wants to use the unlawful assemblies and processions as a toll to manifest his discontent against surge in commodity prices and fuel in the country. On a number of occasions we have seen how these processions have violated rights of other members of the society,” Enanga said.
He added, “They have disrupted flow of traffic, looting of shops and roadside stalls, mugging and theft of phones from bystanders and other pedestrians and running battles with security personnel.”
