Jump to navigation

Uganda

As Bobi Wine appeals against result, President Museveni plays nationalist card with European critics

Until now Western governments have backed the President as a regional security ally and ignored local political skulduggery

President Yoweri Museveni's decision to order the suspension of the European-funded Democratic Governance Facility risks further provoking the European Union into imposing sanctions against him.

Museveni claimed that the DGF – which supports the work of local NGOs focusing on democracy, human rights and transparency – had been 'used to finance activities and organisations designed to subvert Government under the guise of improving governance'.

The move is against a £100 million fund set up by a group of EU countries, the UK and the EU itself, which says it wants to see a country 'where citizens are empowered to engage in democratic governance and the state upholds citizens' rights.' 

In the meantime, opposition leader Bobi Wine, freed from house arrest last week having been confined to his home compound since polling day on 14 January, continues to court Western diplomats while he attempts to take his campaign against Museveni's win in last month's disputed elections to the Supreme Court (AC Vol 62 No 2, Iron fist carries the day).

Following his latest meeting with EU diplomats in Kampala, Wine tweeted that he 'appreciated the EU for its role in fostering democracy', adding that 'we hope the friends of Uganda will support the citizens' call for accountability after a rigged election'.

For the moment, international diplomats are remaining circumspect in public, though criticism of Museveni is growing.

Natalie E. Brown, the United States ambassador in Kampala, last week cited 'deep and continuing concern about the extrajudicial detention of opposition political party members, the reported disappearance of several opposition supporters, and continued restrictions' on Wine and his National Unity Platform.

Wine and his party said earlier this week that around 3,000 of his supporters have been detained or abducted by state agents since November.



Related Articles

Iron fist carries the day

Brutal suppression of the opposition and voter intimidation won President Yoweri Museveni another term of office

Although President Yoweri Museveni won the presidential election with 59% of the vote on a 57% turnout according to the electoral commission, over a dozen of the ruling...


Museveni wins, at a price

Yoweri Museveni won the presidency and his party won parliament but the country is divided

There is no love lost between those political and personal foes, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his former friend, colleague and physician, Warren Kizza Besigye Kifefe, the President's only...


Asking the people

Yoweri Museveni is far ahead of his political rivals but criticisms of the NRM are growing

Two years before the referendum asking Ugandans whether they want to return to multi-party politics, the ruling National Resistance Movement is taking no chances. It seems to have...


Tax deduction

As the political fallout over corruption spreads in Kampala, the legal battles are getting messier over US$434 million in tax which Kampala says oil companies owe it (AC...


The Carlos card

The odd agreement between Khartoum and Kampala allowing Ugandan troops into Sudan to attack the Lord's Resistance Army was renewed last week till mid-May. For both sides this...