Uganda police arrest opposition politician Bobi Wine

KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan police on Wednesday arrested pop star turned opposition leader Bobi Wine after preventing him from holding a meeting with his supporters.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, and two other opposition members of parliament were driven away by police Wednesday from Lira, in northern Uganda, where they had attempted to hold a public meeting, said David Lewis Rubongoya, the executive secretary of Wine’s group, People Power.

“He is being driven in a police van at breakneck speed to an unknown destination. We don’t know whether he is being driven back to Kampala,” he said.

On Monday Wine was prevented from holding his first public meeting with supporters, where he wanted to discuss his plans to challenge longtime President Yoweri Museveni in the 2021 presidential elections.

At that meeting police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of supporters outside the capital, Kampala. The foiled meeting had been authorized by electoral authorities.

The 37-year-old opposition lawmaker who wants to run against long-serving President Yoweri Museveni in 2021 elections, is planning to hold several consultative meetings with his supporters across the country.

Risdel Kasasira, The Associated Press