In a move that you probably have never seen and won’t see again soon in Ugandan politics, Apollo Kantinti led the demand for the release of fellow contestant in the Kyadondo East MP race Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine.
Bobi Wine was arrested by Police for reasons that are still unknown as he addressed supporters in the Kasangati township this morning, but where you would have thought that his opponents would have celebrated that as an advantage, FDC’s candidate in the race Kantinti was the first to challenge the Police’s action. The Kyadondo East’s immediate past MP even suspended his own campaign to show solidarity with Bobi Wine.
Kantinti told journalists: “We do not agree at all with this action because it violates his [Bobi Wine’s] right to campaign freely. I am heading to Police now to establish the reason for his arrest and see to it that as my constituent he is released”.
Bobi Wine was arrested around 10am in the morning and briefly detained at Kasangati Police Station before he was moved to Kira Police Station.
The Kyadondo East race has attracted five candidates, with Bobi Wine, Kantinti and NRM’s Sitenda Sebalu viewed as the frontrunners.
Bobi Wine has since been released.