Arua By-Election: Did the Special Force Command try to assassinate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine?

We can wonder, what was the plan of the authorities, as the vicious attempt to attack one car in Arua happen earlier today. This is after a report, that the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) – Special Force Command (SPC) did a direct shooting at the car of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine in Arua. This has happen today as the Arua By-Election are going to the polls on the 15^th July 2018. The SPC, the Presidential Guards and the Police Force have attacked the marches in and around the town. They have used tear-gas and live-bullets in town. This shows how the By-Elections turns into a War-Zone. Today, this has ended in fatal death of the Yasin Kawuma, the driver of Bobi Wine, as the SFC tried to assassinate him.

This election isn’t supposed to be about Bobi Wine, he is there as endorsement of Kassiano Wadri together with former FDC Party President Mugisha Muntu. While today President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have campaigned for the NRM Flag-Bearer Nusura Tiperu. While the FDC have fielded Bruce Musema, who have campaigned together with Kizza Besigye. Therefore, there been three rallies on the final day before the polls. However, all of that fallen short, as the violence has hit Arua.

All of who is winning isn’t important today, as an innocent driver was killed by the Presidential Guards. These are people who came armed and ready, that is why the same security organizations have sealed of the hotel of Bobi Wine. Clearly, the authorities has tried to get rid of him.

This is clearly sending the message, that this by-election are so important, that they will even kill the opposition and their leaders to gain the seat of the deceased honorable Ibrahim Abiriga. I am sure the President will say some random hoodlum or terrorist did this. Promise to put up CCTV camera’s and such. However, the SFC will be untouched, as they killed the driver today.

The NRM cannot get away with this, as the driver was just someone caught randomly, as they went for the car of Bobi Wine. That could have been a political assassination, which haven’t been seen in a while. Even if the assassination of Abiriga was bad, this would have had more ramifications. As Bobi Wine has a standing in the population, while Abiriga was more a lonely fellow within the elite. Even the assassination of AIGP Andrew Kaweesi. Both have been serious and shown how easily big-men can get touched, however, trying to kill Bobi Wine is showing at what level of intimidation the NRM are up too.

This is coming, as Bobi Wine is arrested too. The endless impunity of the NRM and President Museveni isn’t stopped. The authorities knows this and ordered the SFC to attack and take out Bobi Wine. That happened as the opposition supporters was booing at the President during a march and the authorities went hostile. This shows how volatile the President is and how his ego plays out. That his opponents can make he take to arms, because his vision is jaded.

While Museveni are trying to play it out, that opposition members have attacked his car. How is people with stones able to destroy the windows of bullet-proof and tinted windows of his vehicle. There is no way this happen, as the police are arresting opposition leaders as culprits and making the public criminals. This shows how demeaning the President is, as the car of Bobi Wine was targeted, he is a bit lucky to be arrested and not silenced. That shows how little care the President has and how much force he needs to pull, to be able to intimidate and silence the public to get their vote. No vision, no message and no policies, just fear.

We can wonder if the President wanted to assassinate Robert Kyagulanyi, as his driver is now dead. That because the President ordered his Presidential Guards to stop them from marching. There was no mercy, no thought of consequences, just making sure he would overcome this nightmare of political opponent. The easiest way would be to assassinate him. Peace.

Arua By-Election: Couldn’t the Opposition muster someone better than Wadri?

Well, it will be a race between the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Nusura Tiperu candidate and independent candidate Kasiano Wadri. This is the Arua Municipality By-Election that will happen on the 15^th August, as the contested seat of late Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga is for the taking.

This means that the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) own person will step aside, this is the upcoming Bruce Musema. The vital change happens after Justice Forum, Democratic Party and Bobi Wine agreed upon this. The FDC have clearly folded after what happen in Bugiri Municipality, as former Party President Gen. Mugisha Muntu have already started to campaign from Wadri. There are clearly tensions in the air and the obvious outcome. Muntu clearly favored someone outside his previous party, than throwing his weight in favor of Musema. That is really showing lack of loyalty, btu that is to be expected these days. Abed Bwanika was also apart of the people who went in support of Wadri, as well as Norbert Mao, therefore, the DP is heavily invested in the candidate. As they need the result to prove their worth.

Nusura Tiperu is running a campaign of continuing the “Late Abiriga’s Agenda”, however if that will stick or be the reason for her victory, who knows, as the Electoral Commission, the Police Force and the NRM are usually busy rigging elections in their favor. Even as the Joint Opposition Candidate Wadri, will still battle hard, as he is not as viable as Musema might have been. This can really be shooting itself in the foot, as Tiperu might look much smarter, than Wadri ever will be.

Because if Wadri didn’t have the Democratic Party, Bobi Wine and Bwanika behind him. Would he even mattered in concern with Musema? That is the question we can now put. This questions are viable and it is just days ahead of the polls. That is not a sign of strength, but of weakness.

Tiperu couldn’t have gotten a better bargain, as she has to rally against weak Joint Candidate, instead of several Opposition Flag-Bearers. If the Opposition would have been smart, they had put Musema forward as it would have a younger and viable candidate, not an older character like Wadri. Tiperu doesn’t even need lots of big-men around her to win this. She has an advantage and she didn’t do crap about it. This is the own making of the opposition itself.

If your making a joint candidate, you put the best one you have, not the second best or the lucky loser, but you put up someone that you can actually believe in. That is not Wadri. Wadri is not believable, that Bwanika and Bobi Wine, even Muntu is up to something. That is clear, but the vindication of their political bargain, might be a cold cup of tea and not a drink you enjoy.

Wadri is the former Terego County MP, who lost in 2016, therefore, he is already and not a strong one. They are moving him to another district, but his person is still the same. He has already lost one to the NRM. What stops him from that happening again, the mystical powers of Bobi Wine?

We have to see, but Wadri shouldn’t be the one, in this one Musema should have, but maybe after the Bugiri Municipality, the FDC are throwing their weight behind as they were under-fire to field their own. But this time, it would have made sense, because will someone who lost to NRM. He has already had 4 terms in Parliament. There should be someone without entitlement to run.

However, that is what Arua is getting from the opposition. They are fielding a failed, career politician whose time is up. If he bounces back its because of mercy, not because of his swagger. Peace.