Bobi Wine books date for presidential nomination

The leadership of the National Unity Platform (NUP) has written to the Electoral Commission (EC) booking November 3, as the date for the nomination of its presidential flagbearer for the 2021 general elections.

NUP executive secretary David Rubongoya said: "The EC has confirmed that November 3, Tuesday, 11:00 pm is when Kyadondo East legislator Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine will be nominated as NUP'S party presidential candidate.

"NUP appreciates all the wellwishers, who collected a total of 33,000 voters signatures from different districts across the country, endorsing Kyagulanyi's candidature for the 2021 presidential election. We have also paid the sh20m nomination fee, required by the EC," Rubongoya said.

This was disclosed during a NUP's weekly briefings held at the party's headquarters in Kamwokya, a city suburb.

The number of aspiring presidential candidates in the forthcoming general elections has reached 86, EC deputy spokesperson, Paul Bukenya told New Vision.

Nominations for MPs were conducted from October 15-16, while presidential candidates will be nominated on November 2-3, 2020.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) also booked November 2 as the date for the nomination for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as a presidential candidate for the 2021 elections.

A letter signed by the party secretary general, Justine Lumumba, indicates that they will present Museveni before the EC on the said date at 10:00am.

Suits against security officers

Meanwhile, NUP party spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi has said they are going to sue individual security officers over the raiding of their party headquarters last week.

Katungi the commander of Military Police, who carried out the joint security operations on NUP's offices.

The cases against the duo he said include "frustrating activities of NUP, a registered political party; trespassing and confiscating the party attires as well as taking sh23m."

Uganda Police spokesperson Fred Enanga confirmed the raid was aimed at "all locations which were illegally manufacturing, supplying, distributing, selling and using uniforms and accoutrements whose ownership and patented designs was gazetted and the exclusive preserve of the armed forces."

At Kamwokya, security recovered several berets, National Resistance Movement T-shirts among other items. The raid was also extended to different parts of Kampala where the Police arrested several people who were either selling or participating in the sewing and branding of the T-shirts and caps.

Ssenyonyi said: "When you read the UPDF Act, it talks about insignia. The insiginia is what matters and if these berets had Police or UPDF insignia, you could not wear them. These berets have neither Police nor UPDF insiginia, but a People Power badge."

The law

According to the gazette signed by the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Adolf Mwesige, dated September 18, 2019, the red beret was now designated as part of the Uganda People's Defence Forces' marks, accessories, insignia, decoration and uniform as provided for under section 160 of the UPDF Act 2005.

"The public is hereby informed that the marks accessories, insignia, decoration and uniforms specifi ed in the schedule to this notice are property of the state or classified stores and anyone found in unlawful possession, selling or dealing in them shall be prosecuted under the UPDF Act of 2005," the gazette reads.

The document also subsequently, banned the sale and use of the red beret which is part of the military uniform by any member of the public or else they face dire consequences.

The Government added that the sale or wearing of any attire which resembles the army uniform, including the red beret which may deceive the public, was also banned.