‘Violent people not part of People Power’

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kyadondo East legislator Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has appealed to his supporters to disassociate themselves from violence.

The firebrand musician-turned politician who is the defacto leader of the “People Power” movement says violence is not part of their philosophy.

As a result, he says violent people are not part of people power.

Bobi Wine’s message comes on the heel of rising animosity between People power activists and Forum for Democratic Change-FDC supporters following attacks on Dr. Kizza Besigye by youth donning people power berets.

The FDC Spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda on Monday said FDC leaders have been attacked four times by people claiming to be members of people power.

The latest incident happened on Saturday in Gulu municipality where Besigye was chief guest at the thanksgiving party of the Leader of Opposition, Betty Aol Ochan.

Though people power is not yet an institutionalized political party, Ssemujju said it has leaders who should isolate people attacking FDC in its name.

He warned that if people power fail to isolate people attacking FDC leaders, it will be construed that they are supporting them.

Sssemujju said FDC is more than ready to defend itself when those provoking it cross the read line.

“I must categorically make it clear that FDC will robustly respond to those who want to attack and harm our leaders.  If they don’t know, they will find us ready,” he said.

“Because we have suffered extremely at the hands of Museveni for a long time. And that has given us enough training. We want to reserve that energy to fight Museveni, not other opposition colleagues,” he added.

On Tuesday evening, Bobi Wine delivered his message through a live Facebook address.  He said people power is pretty confident that change can be achieved without shedding blood.

He once again called for calm among his supporters and appealed to them to focus on getting national identity cards. Bobi Wine said it’s the only identification documents that will make Ugandans secure change without violence.

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Bobi Wine said people power is not at war with other change seeking forces. If when opposition parties don’t carry same strategies, he said they should be seen to be fighting each other.

//Cue in: “obubaka bwange ogwalero…

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