Uganda: Bobi Wine says bodyguard killed by police
Ugandan presidential candidate Bobi Wine says police killed one of his bodyguards on Sunday, accusing military police of deliberately running him over.
The military police deny Wine’s claims, insisting the bodyguard fell from a speeding car after he supposedly tried to jump from the vehicle. The incident happened while Wine’s convoy was taking a journalist critically wounded by police to seek medical attention after violence broke out between campaigners and security forces.
Bobi Wine bodyguard killed in police incident
Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, took to Twitter on Sunday to announce the death of one of his bodyguards, Francis Senteza Kalibala.
“I regret to announce the murder of my security team member Francis Senteza Kalibala aka Frank. He was deliberately run over by military-police truck, No. H4DF 2382, which blocked us in Busega on our way to Rubaga to get Kasirye Ashraf emergency medical attention.”
Later, The Ugandan military’s spokeswoman wrote on Twitter that the bodyguard had, in fact, fallen from a speeding car.
“UPDF (Ugandan People’s Defence Force) would like to clarify that the late Senteza … was not knocked by a Military Police Vehicle as purported, but rather fell off a speeding car … he tried to jump to (sic) but fell off.”
At the time of the incident, Wine’s convoy was taking a journalist injured by police during clashes to seek medical attention. Wine later wrote on Twitter that Ashraf Kasirye was in critical condition after the journalist was transferred from Masaka Referral Hospital to the capital, Kampala.
Bobi Wine has emerged as the strongest rival to 76-year-old President Yoweri Museveni in presidential elections due on January 14.
Featured image: By Mbowasport – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81995826
