Bloody start of the presidential election campaign in Uganda, killing 37 people

At least 37 people have been killed since Wednesday in Uganda in riots triggered by the arrest of MP and pop singer Bobby Wayne, the main contender for the outgoing president in the January presidential election, which was announced tense.

The environment of President Museveni, 76, who has been in power since 1986, in recent months has shown signs of tension in front of Bobby Wayne, 38, several times held or under house arrest since 2018.

Vice-Singing Robert Kyagulani – his real name – was elected MP in 2017, and the spokesperson for a young Ugandan is extremely poor and urban, which is not recognized in President Museveni’s old regime.

Bobby Wayne was arrested on Wednesday for violating anti-coronavirus measures during his campaign rallies, and released on Friday.

The news of his arrest angered his supporters, who clashed with security forces in Kampala on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as in other urban centers.

“So far, we have 37 dead people in connection with the demonstrations that started Wednesday,” Moses Piaruhanga, Deputy Inspector General of Police, told AFP.

During that time, outgoing President Yoweri Museveni, who has not commented on current events, continued his election campaign, in which he gathered large crowds, according to the NGO Human Rights Watch, without being questioned by the police or the military.

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