US Ambassador to Uganda Natalie E. Brown was unable to visit Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, who was put under house arrest by the Ugandan military, the US embassy in Kampala announced
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2021) US Ambassador to Uganda Natalie E. Brown was unable to visit Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, who was put under house arrest by the Ugandan military, the US embassy in Kampala announced.
On Friday, Kyagulanyi announced his residence was under military siege a day after the presidential election in the country was held. The opposition candidate described as a "fraud" the voting, which gave longtime President Yoweri Museveni his sixth term with 58.64 percent of the vote, while his National Unity Platform party pledged to challenge the electoral results.
"U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Natalie E. Brown attempted to visit presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi at his residence on January 18, but was denied access by Ugandan security forces," the embassy wrote on Facebook late on Monday.
It added that Brown intended to check on Wine's health and safety when trying to enter his residence within the framework of US "diplomatic engagement" in "Uganda's political spectrum."
The embassy also noted that the Ugandan election was marked by unlawful actions towards opposition figures and their backers, and called on the government to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly.
The announcement of the election results in Uganda was met with mass rallies, which were marred by violence with security forces, resulting in several casualties and arrests.
