Opposition candidates will need armored vehicles to campaign against Museveni in 2026, says Besigye as he salutes Amuriat, Bobi Wine, Muntu for braving ‘unprecedented violence’

Main opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has praised presidential candidates Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA) of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine of National Unity Platform (NUP), and Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregg Mugisha Muntu of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) for their bravery during the campaigns characterized by confrontations with security agencies.

Besigye, Amuriat, Bobi Wine and Muntu addressed a joint press conference at Hotel Africana in Kampala just a day before the January 14 voting exercise.

“I want to congratulate these brave gentlemen that have over the last 60 days tried their level best to reach out to Ugandans ahead of this election,” said Besigye.

“There are moments in these campaigns that I had never encountered in my campaigns.”

Besigye noted that “the campaign period was incredibly short, candidates had 60 days to traverse 351 electoral constituencies.”

On violence, Besigye argued that brutality meted out on opposition politicians was not necessitated by Covid19 guidelines enforcement but by a regime hellbent on suppressing dissenting voices.

Besigye predicted campaigning against Museveni — if he is a candidate in the next election — would require armored vehicles.

“Make no mistake, this was never about COVID-19. This regime doesn’t care about COVID-19, go to downtown and see what’s there, people are gathering uninterrupted,” claimed Besigye.

“If Mr Museveni stays in office may be by the next election, presidential candidates will have to procure armored trucks and protective gear. “The more the support of the regime goes, the more they replace it with repression.”