Uganda police cancel Bobi Wine’s Independence Day concert

Police in Uganda have cancelled Bobi Wine's Independence Day concert that was set for October 9, 2019 in the capital Kampala. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola said Bobi Wine did not consider plans for medical care, traffic control, crowd control and security.

Police in Uganda have cancelled a concert that was to be held in the capital Kampala by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.

Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola in his letter dated October 2, but released on Tuesday to Kampala Metropolitan Police, said Bobi Wine did not consider plans for medical care, traffic and crowd control and security.

"This serves to inform you that the notice to the Inspector General of Police has remarkable deficiencies, which do not guarantee lawfulness, safety, security for the public and organisers," the letter says.

INDEPENDENCE DAY FETE

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman Patrick Onyango said officers will be unable to provide adequate security as they will be at the Independence Day celebrations in Sironko and other authorised venues.

Bobi Wine, a musician turned politician, had scheduled a music show ‘Osobola’ for October 9, which coincides with Independence Day.

As police announced the cancellation, the singer was doing rehearsals at his music studio in Kamwokya in Kampala.

He said he had not received any letter from the police, adding that he would proceed with the concert as planned.

CANCELLATIONS

On April 22, 2019 police stopped another Bobi Wine concert on grounds that he had not followed procedure. Field Force Unit (FFU) officers used force to foil the concert plans. In the milieu, Bobi Wine was pepper-sprayed and his car windows were smashed.

More than 125 music concerts for Bobi Wine have been cancelled since he joined politics as Kyadondo East MP in May 2017.