Ugandan president uses strong-arm tactics during election | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Saturday 20 February 2016

Ugandan president uses strong-arm tactics during election

President Yoweri Museveni's security forces used strong-arm tactics in the middle of an election Friday, arresting the main opposition candidate, beating protesters and firing tear gas and stun grenades at them.
The United States, which gives financial support to Uganda and helps train its military, was among those condemning the brutal actions. It occurred as voting from Thursday's election proceeded in two main districts on Friday because ballots and other election materials had not arrived as scheduled on election day.
Early returns put Museveni ahead of opposition leader Kizza Besigye, but votes remained to be cast, and counted, in Besigye strongholds.
With results from about 23 percent of polling stations across the country counted, Museveni had 62 percent of the vote and Besigye had 33 percent, the election commission said.

Police surrounded the headquarters of Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change party as he was meeting with other leaders of his party, and a helicopter fired tear gas at a crowd outside. Then police moved in and took Besigye, a 59-year-old doctor, to an unknown location, according to Semujju Nganda, a spokesman for the FDC.

The U.S. Embassy said on Twitter that "We strongly condemn the disproportionate police action taken today at FDC HQ in Kampala."

After Besigye's arrest, supporters who had been inside the party headquarters joined Besigye supporters in the streets. Riot police lobbed tear gas and stun grenades at them and fired warning shots from automatic rifles, then chased them through narrow alleyways, arresting some. Armored personnel carriers rumbled up and down the main street. A woman and her children fled on a motorbike.

In nearby poor neighborhoods, people set up burning barricades which riot police and military police quickly took down. Angry protesters also erected barricades of stones on the highway leading to Uganda's international airport. Police fired tear gas and whacked protesters with sticks.
Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International's regional director, noted that the raid represented a "restriction on the rights to freedom as association and peaceful assembly. The security forces must act with restraint."

Police parked their trucks near the home of presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi, a former prime minister. Josephine Mayanja-Nkangi, a spokeswoman for Mbabazi, said he interpreted the deployment to mean he cannot leave his house.
The voting Thursday suffered delays in delivery of voting materials, especially in areas seen as opposition strongholds, and was seen by the opposition as deliberate. Voting was taking place Friday at 36 polling stations in Kampala and the neighboring district of Wakiso.

The government had shut down social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook but many Ugandans were circumventing that by using virtual private networks, or VPNs.

Besigye was also briefly arrested late Thursday after visiting a house in Kampala where he suspected ballot-stuffing was taking place. Police said the house was a security facility and accused Besigye of trespassing on government property.



Source: AP

47 comments:

BEAUTIFUL9JADELTA said...

BEAUTIFUL9JADELTABABE.. crisis all over the world what is happening hmm anyway me am Justsayingmaownohh via ma LATEST TECNO F7.
@lindaikeji d lindus am still waiting ohh

Unknown said...

Fuck the Police (in 2pac's voice).

oliviasdiary said...

Nigeria has competition in electio violence

Olisdiary blog

michael George (the Fulani Prince) said...

It's there cup of hot tea.

Unknown said...

Let's see if you would win then.

Anonymous said...

nice

meanwhile check Shameful: See What A Girl And The Lecturer Was Caught Doing In The Office

Anonymous said...

Remind me again who is heading the Commonwealth Observers of Uganda elections. OBJ right? He never oversaw a peaceful election in Nigeria while he was President so i don't him to oversee one now. Wonder why they didn't allow GEJ to oversee the election.

Anonymous said...

Remind me again who is heading the Commonwealth Observers of Uganda elections. OBJ right? He never oversaw a peaceful election in Nigeria while he was President so i don't him to oversee one now. Wonder why they didn't allow GEJ to oversee the election.

Unknown said...

Dictatorial bulldog
-D great anonymous now as Vivian Reginalds

Unknown said...

I weep for Uganda the same am weeping for Nigeria under embecilic terrorist president buhari.
The same place ape obasanjo went to rig him in power.
That is Africa for you the will make sure that the retain that seat for them self and there family ,that Uganda president is am evil man that is why we need sir Donald trump to win to wipe this evil men in do or die power.
He even went as far as blocking Facebook and twitter what a country hmmmmm may God save his people there.

























#sad indeed

Unknown said...

As if it's his birthright mtchewww
-D great anonymous now as Vivian Reginalds

Unknown said...

I weep for Uganda the same am weeping for Nigeria under embecilic terrorist president buhari.
The same place obasanjo went to rig him in power.
That is Africa for you the will make sure that the retain that seat for them self and there family ,that Uganda president is am evil man that is why we need sir Donald trump to win to wipe this evil men in do or die power.
He even went as far as blocking Facebook and twitter what a country hmmmmm may God save his people there.

























#sad indeed

Unknown said...

K. * it's well*

Anonymous said...

Wow. My friend from Uganda told me that this madness was happening. I no wan believe am. African leaders. Why must you all be greedy and corrupt. This man has ruled for like ...10 or something years now? He's still not satisfied with all the chopping and ijekuje. This is tyrannical. So u arrested the opposition. Shows u as a cowardly leader. U know in a fair election u dont stand a chance

NaijaDeltaBabe said...

Wat do I know abt politics? Next!


...merited happiness

gentle said...

Nigeria is like heaven compared to some useless african countries honestly.

Sunday Onoja said...

Power....

Anonymous said...

haha OBJ taught him well

Unknown said...

Africa and wuru wuru government

Unknown said...

"If man were God"

Unknown said...

"If man were God"

Unknown said...

"If man were God"

Golda Awosika said...

Cool



#*karlishah*

Unknown said...

Egwu dikwa! Linda take note!

Unknown said...

Anytin obasanjo gets involved in is always characterized wit rigging.

#LibBadBoy

Anonymous said...

7 tons truck for sale. Bb pin 58BF8F56

Eddy Ogbunambala said...

Na waoo! He wants to win by fire by force

Bonita Bislam said...

Such brutality!

Unknown said...

This is piece of shit government

Unknown said...

Dy are now practing wat dy thought dem.. Usin the masses as case study abi..
Sango kill una..














Enugu's second shoe designer

Anonymous said...

THIS WAS THE SAME IDIOT THAT WAS CRITICIZING GEJ AND APC HAILED HIM.

Unknown said...

President Musevini has been in power for as long as i can remember. One pray his end won't be like Mobutu Seseko. African leaders and their die in power syndrome.

Unknown said...

To win is by fire by force...
No time to dull...
Dat is wht Mr GBJ would av done...
At least it would av saved us frm the hands of this terrorist,dat is taking Nigeria back to the military era...


#FINEST

Unknown said...

Black man and power..Africa is doomed..Greed for power can be crazy..It part of Buhari change anyway...Restriction of rights of the people..

Demmy said...

African leaders wit highest level of selfishness n greed

BEAUTIFUL9JADELTA said...

BEAUTIFUL9JADELTABABE...war evrywia anyway as LIBERSFEMALESENATEPRESIDENT Me am Justsayingmaownohh via ma LATEST TECNO F7.
@lindaikeji d lindus am still waiting ohj

Unknown said...

Its good

Security conscious

#spritual

Unknown said...

Ok ooo

Unknown said...

Good

Mr. Monitor said...

What do you expect when you have OBJ as observer??? Rubbish

Anonymous said...

African and they madness.....am just back from Europe every tiny is ok there...

Am still ziggy my name

sanrock said...

Musuveni.....na do or die o

Unknown said...

Seen

Adaobilinda her sexcellency said...

Corruption everywhere

Jude Akinwole said...

Are these things still allowed to take place? Really??? Disgusting! All means to unseat him should be pursued cos obviously he won illegally!

Anonymous said...

something Buhari can do like his friend Abacha

Anonymous said...

http://bit.ly/1ouMhBF

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