Bobi Wine Thanks Supporters in Ntungamo, Calls for Change
On Thursday, July 18, 2024, Bobi Wine expressed gratitude to his supporters in Ntungamo, highlighting their enthusiastic reception. In his speech and online post, he extended thanks to his in-laws, stating, “Mwebare munonga baramu bangye — a big THANK YOU to my in-laws.” Bobi Wine’s wife Barbie Kyagulanyi hails from Ntugamo, a district that borders Rwanda.
He added that the perception of prosperity in Western Uganda often overlooks the reality faced by its residents. Despite a few individuals benefiting from connections to the current regime, he claimed the majority grapple with poverty and desperation, mirroring challenges seen across Uganda.
While many people assume that the conditions in Western Uganda are good, those who are doing well are actually very few and are mostly connected to the regime structure. The vast majority of the people in Western Uganda are as poor and desperate as those from other parts of Uganda. I have called upon them to challenge that false narrative by joining other oppressed people of Uganda to push for CHANGE.
Bobi Wine urged residents to challenge this misleading portrayal and unite with other marginalized Ugandans to advocate for meaningful change.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Event Date | Thursday, July 18, 2024 |
| Location | Ntungamo, Western Uganda |
| Message | Bobi Wine thanked supporters and his in-laws for their strong support. |
| Social Context | Highlighted the disparity between perceived prosperity and actual poverty in Western Uganda, urging unity for societal change. |
| Call to Action | Encouraged residents to challenge the status quo and join the movement for broader social and economic reforms in Uganda. |
Bobi Wine’s visit to Rukungiri district earlier in the week was marked by challenges including heavy security presence and attempts to disrupt his rally. Despite these obstacles, the event proceeded successfully, with Bobi Wine delivering a message of unity and change to enthusiastic supporters.
The leader of Uganda’s largest opposition political party, National Unity Platform (NUP), spent Wednesday in Rukungiri district, addressing the public through Country FM Radio and later at a rally. He expressed gratitude to the radio station’s management for hosting him despite reported threats from the Resident District Commissioner (RDC). Wine was pleased to receive positive feedback and words of encouragement from listeners during the radio broadcast.
Deployment and Intimidation
The day was marked by heavy deployment of police and military personnel, creating an atmosphere of intimidation from early morning. Reports suggested that members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) attempted to organize a competing event to divert attendees from Bobi Wine’s rally. Despite these efforts, the rally saw a substantial turnout of supporters, as evidenced by photos and videos circulated on NUP Official Social Media Accounts.
In his address, Bobi Wine reiterated a consistent message of national unity and change. He emphasized that Uganda’s decades-long struggle with oppression and humiliation under current political conditions can only be overcome through unified action. His rallying cry, “ENOUGH,” appeared to resonate with the audience, seemingly highlighting widespread discontent.
There was heavy deployment and intimidation right from morning by the police and military. NRM politicians apparently tried to organize a parallel event in order to try and dissuade the people from coming to our event, but our people still turned up in large numbers. Our message remains one: the forty years of humiliation and oppression can only come to an end when we all rise up and say ENOUGH.
Acknowledging the support received during the #NUPNationWideTour, Bobi Wine expressed gratitude to all leaders who have joined and supported the movement. He reaffirmed his belief in a future where Uganda achieves freedom for all.
Bushenyi: A Peaceful Gathering Amidst Surveillance
On July 16th, Bobi Wine, the opposition leader of spent the day at Kizinda Grounds in Ishaka – Bushenyi, addressing a large gathering of supporters. Expressing gratitude for the turnout, Bobi Wine highlighted the overwhelming response of the people to his “revolutionary message”.
In a notable departure from past events, Bobi Wine remarked that the police and military did not disrupt their plans this time. Instead, security forces deployed and observed from a distance, maintaining law and order without interference. The rally proceeded smoothly, with no reported casualties or disruptions:
Most importantly, today the police and military did not disrupt our plans. They deployed and watched from a distance as they kept law and order. Indeed, the meeting was very successful. No causalities, no disruptions- our people came out peacefully, listened to our message and went back safely. This confirms what we always say that our events are always peaceful, until the police and military come in to break the law. We hope this will now open a new chapter where the security agencies do not disrupt our events.
During his address, Bobi Wine emphasized the urgent need for Ugandans to assert themselves in the pursuit of freedom and democracy. He reiterated the peaceful nature of their gatherings and expressed hope that security agencies would refrain from disrupting future events, citing this as a positive step towards constructive engagement.
It remains to been whether Bobi Wine’s positive experience in Ishaka – Bushenyi signals a potential shift in how security agencies handle opposition rallies and allowing events to unfold peacefully. This is a depature from the reception in Bundibugyo where he condemned the security in the strongest terms.
The criminal regime insistently blocked us from addressing the people of Bundibugyo on a radio station we had booked. They also blocked us from accessing Booma Grounds – a venue we had paid for! Today, they claimed that the venue was given out to another person! This is in addition to the other violations they engaged in, including blocking us from making any radio announcements and mobilisation drives. All roads from other sub-counties to the town center were closed, and our people were being ordered not to proceed to our office.
