By Leonard Kamugisha Akida and Brave Tumuranzye,
KAMPALA:
Lord Councillor Ssendi Mosh, representing Makindye division at Kampala City Council Authority (city Hall council) on NUP ticket has retaliated the words of former US President Donald Trump calling Uganda a shithole nation. Mosh was responding to individuals celebrating news of the arrest of popular Blogger Fred Lumbuye, who was arrested on Tuesday in Turkey.
Security agents on Tuesday arrested Fred Lumbuye, a supporter of Uganda opposition party National Unity Platform (NUP), he is suspected of being the mastermind behind the rumours that President Yoweri Museveni had died after contracting Covid-19.
Lumbuye had also previously announced that the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, was dead. Reports state that Lumbuye was picked up by security agents as he returned to his residence on Tuesday evening in Turkey.
His arrest has created divisions among Ugandans online with many government darlings jubilating the news while those in the opposition particularly supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) attack government for arresting anybody who speaks “the truth” against the regime.
This has prompted the failed musician cum politician, famously known as Mr Mosh to post on his Facebook page; “…I apologise to Trump. Uganda is indeed a shithole nation.” Mr Mosh posted.
Mr Mosh was adding voice to the ongoing online campaigns demanding for the release Vlogger Fred Lumbuye.
In a social media post, Lord Councillor Mosh posted photos of a security personnel battering poor Ugandans especially roadside vendors (Photo A) during enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown guidelines and a photo of arrested political Vlogger Lumbuye (Photo B) in which he accused Ugandans of jubilating arrests of some individuals rather than criticising the brutality melted on Ugandans by security personnel.
“If you did not call for the arrest of people in photo A…….. But are jubilating because person in photo B is allegedly arrested, You are Uganda’s biggest problem and a useless idiot at that.” Mr Mosh posted. “If you keep shouting while schools, owners, Teachers and students are ignored in most COVID-19 plans………. But jubilate because a random guy that speaks on FB is arrested, you need a new brain.”
“If you did not feel affected when a serving minister said police has the right to shoot Ugandans……. But you are angry because a random Vlogger announces some people dead, we really need to be called a shithole nation.” Mr Mosh said adding; “I apologise to Trump. Uganda is indeed a shithole nation.”
Mr Mosh post follow remarks by foreign affairs state minister Okello Oryem at a press briefing on Tuesday at Uganda Media Centre told journalists that Ugandans should jubilate Lumbuye’s arrest instead of sympathizing with him.
“According to reports from the Ugandan Community in Istanbul, Turkey, Mr Fred Lumbuye has been arrested. The Uganda Embassy in Ankara is yet to receive official communication from the relevant law enforcement institutions of Turkey in regard to this case,” the Foreign Ministry in Kampala said.
“I heard that he has been arrested. And if he’s arrested because of a crime he committed, then he deserves to be arrested. Anybody who commits a crime in any country whatsoever will pay the price. That person you’re talking about is not a special person. Who is he that he can be above the law irrespective of where he is? The law is very clear in all countries; you break the law, you pay the penalty. So if he broke the law then he will pay the price,” Mr Oryem said.
“And I would have thought that every single one of you would be jubilating that this person committed a crime and he’s been arrested and being brought before the court of law but now it seems you’re sympathising with him.
NUP members have insisted that Uganda and Turkey have no reciprocal bilateral arrangement which warrants the extradition of Lumbuye, but State House officials insist Lumbuye will be brought back to answer to the charges that will be preferred against him in court.
A team of officials from the NUP led by the Mityana Municipality MP Francis Butebi Zaake on Wednesday took a flight to Turkey to seek justice for Lumbuye.
