By Ahmed Musa Kigongo
The National Unity Party (NUP) has dismissed claims that their leader Robert Kyagulanyi is planning to hold a parallel presidential swearing ceremony. NUP says it is a cheap trick by security operatives to ‘steal money from President Yoweri Museveni’.
NUP spokesman and MP Elect for Nakawa West Joel Ssenyonyi has claimed that profiteers from security organs are peddling the Kyagulanyi swearing hoax to scare the president into causing the release of operational funds which they would use for their own benefit.
In the party’s statement in response to the Uganda Police warning against an alleged intended swearing ceremony by the presidential election runner up, Ssenyonyi dismissed as a tired trick by security operatives to fleece the taxpayer by creating scares that opposition is plotting illegal activities.
Uganda Police Force this Monday warned former National Unity Platform-NUP Presidential candidate Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine against plans of holding a parallel swearing-in ceremony as committing treason case.
Addressing journalists at the police headquarters at Naguru, Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said that they have information about plans by one of the presidential candidates in the January elections claiming to have won the election to hold an illegitimate parallel swearing-in ceremony, which they won’t allow to happen.
“We have got information from our intelligence teams of one of the presidential candidates to hold a parallel swearing-in ceremony in a certain hotel in Iganga, but we want to remind him and his supporters that they will be arrested,” Enanga warned.
Police further warns that any person, who participates, organizes or broadcasts a parallel swearing-in ceremony, will have committed treason.
“Even if they swear themselves in, they remain symbolic without any accompanying entitlement and it is a waste of time; organisers of this parallel swearing-in ceremony should prepare themselves to face consequences because it is illegal and treasonous,” said Enanga.
Enanga urged the losers of the January 14 polls to practice mature politics by conceding defeat and respect the rule of law.
Recently, the National Unity Platform leader, Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine said President Museveni’s swearing-in will not stop their struggle for change. On several occasions, Kyagulanyi has disputed the outcome of the January polls.
By Monday evening security forces had surrounded Robert Kyagulanyi’s home in Magerere-Kansangati town council of Wakiso district. “My home is surrounded by the police and the military; soldiers are back to the streets; this is how Museveni plans to swear himself in!” Kyagulanyi posted on his official Facebook page.
In 2016, Forum for Democratic Change strongman, Dr.Kizza Besigye who had been a candidate in the presidential polls swore himself in as president before he was arrested and detained in Karamoja.
