Museveni to Bobi Wine: What will you govern as president if you burn the country down?

President Yoweri Museveni blamed the National Unity Platform (NUP) and its leader, Bobi Wine, for working with foreigners intent on destabilising the country. 

Speaking at a press conference at Mbale State Lodge on Saturday night, the President claimed that foreign elements were sponsoring opposition riots in a bid to gain control of Uganda's burgeoning resources.

The president was speaking in light of the recent mass arrest of supporters of Bobi Wine in Mbarara as well as the arrest of two Kenyan activists Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi who were incarcerated incommunicado for 39 days before their release on Friday.

“We monitor our [opposition] groups here using intelligence and we know them,” the President declared

 “For instance, we recently arrested two Kenyans. They have been with us. They came and were working with Kyagulanyi’s group… that are experts in rioting.”

Warning Against Foreign Interference

According to the President, international actors are behind the opposition’s destructive activities and their motives stemmed from fear of Uganda’s rapid development. 

“Foreigners are involved in these activities because they are worried about Uganda because we are doing very well. Industry is growing, we don’t lack anything. We have food, raw materials, we are now going to get our own oil; so they are worried.” 

He claimed that some international groups had been negotiating with "confused people" (opposition members) seeking contracts to control national parks and other resources. 

“What they want is to control our resources. Those are the groups sponsoring these riots. They mobilise our kids to burn down Kampala.”

His response to these acts, Museveni said, was simply arresting “the children” involved in the riots, and locking them up “for some time” before releasing them, although he acknowledged that some have ended up paying the ultimate price of death as was the case during the November 2020 riots in Kampala.

A Call for Constructive Politics

Ultimately, the President challenged the fundamental strategy of the opposition, arguing that violence was self-defeating. 

He acknowledged that mistakes might be made by the government, but stressed there was “no need to riot.” 

Instead of attacking people and destroying property, he suggested, “If you are angry, you can go to Kololo and demonstrate and show that you are not happy, but you do not attack anybody and destroy property.”

Museveni concluded his admonition with a rhetorical question aimed directly at the NUP leadership, wondering what would be left for them to govern if they destroyed the entire nation.

“Suppose you take over and you are the new government; where will you start, if you have burnt everything down?” he said.

“Why don’t you want to take over something that is established?”