Security Forces Seal Off Ugandan Opposition Headquarters Ahead of Planned Protests

Ugandan police and military forces surrounded the headquarters of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), led by Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine. This move came ahead of planned anti-government protests. Wine reported that NUP leaders were arrested, while the government termed it a precautionary measure against unauthorized protests.

Ugandan police and military forces took a precautionary measure on Monday by sealing off the headquarters of the nation's largest opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), ahead of planned anti-government protests scheduled for Tuesday. The demonstration, aimed at denouncing alleged corruption and human rights abuses, had been banned by authorities.

In a series of posts on social media platform X, NUP leader and prominent opposition figure Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, revealed that security personnel had surrounded the party's headquarters in the capital city of Kampala. He showed images of military personnel and army trucks stationed at the premises and claimed that several NUP leaders had been violently arrested.

Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke did not immediately address the reported arrests but confirmed that precautionary steps were taken due to the party’s mobilization for the protest. Though protests are constitutionally legal in Uganda, organizers must obtain permits from the police in advance, which are rarely granted. President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled since 1986, warned against unauthorized demonstrations, alleging foreign interference.