Under house arrest, Uganda’s opp. leader lauds support

By Hamza Kyeyune

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Uganda's opposition leader Bobi Wine on Wednesday acknowledged the effort of a Nigerian human rights lawyer, who filed a complaint with the UN working group against the government of Uganda for putting him under house arrest.

Wine, 38, challenged President Yoweri Museveni in the polls last week, which he says were rigged in favor of the incumbent president, who has ruled Uganda for 35 years.

Wine, who came second in the presidential election, has not left his house since he went out to vote on Jan. 14 due to security forces surrounding his residence.

The pop star-turned politician, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has claimed his life is in danger, and that he is being silenced by the government.

Wine appealed to "fellow citizens of the world" to help him as he remained under house arrest.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana Tuesday filed a complaint with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention over “illegal detention” of Wine.

The complaint read: “Mr. Wine and his wife are being illegally detained for days without any criminal charges against him. He has also been denied adequate supply of food by hundreds of Uganda military forces and policemen who have laid a siege to his house for the umpteenth time since the election day.”

Responding to the opposition's complaints, a Kampala police spokesman said soldiers and police were deployed there for Wine's own security. Earlier on Tuesday, police said they had made arrangements for Wine to meet with his lawyers, but he declined and offered to do so at a later stage.​​​​​​​

On Monday, Wine's lawyers tried to get access to him at his residence but they were unsuccessful. They filed an application in the High Court in Kampala to secure his freedom.