CROSSFIRE: Katikkiro Mayiga Camp Rebukes Bobi Wine for Defending Blogger Lumbuye who declared Kabaka dead

Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga’s camp has castigated National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine for defending Turkey-based blogger Fred Kajubi Lumbuye.

Arrested in Turkey a few days ago, Lumbuye is accused of reportedly originating and spreading false reports, including claims that President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni was critically ill, had been airlifted to Germany and had even died.

After it emerged that Lumbuye was under arrest, Bobi Wine spoke out, saying his party was doing everything possible to rescue the fake news monger.

IN BOBI WINE’S WORDS…

This [Wednesday] morning, we woke up to the news of the arrest of political activist Fred Kajjubi Lumbuye from Turkey.

This news is of great concern to many Ugandans who support freedom both home and abroad. For now, we are working around the clock to establish the facts, and I am grateful to all those who are doing everything to support his case, including our diaspora leadership teams.

Our leadership team at home has also engaged the Turkish Embassy on the matter. We all must be very concerned about this development, because as we know many Ugandans only feel safe to criticize the regime in Uganda from a safe distance in countries abroad.

The governments of the world ought to protect the rights of political dissidents and exiles who have sought refuge in their countries. Ugandans abroad ought to feel safe.”

But some officials at Mengo, including officials in Katikkiro Mayiga’s office, have criticized Bobi Wine for defending a man engaged in character assassination of people reportedly opposed to the NUP leader’s political ambitions.

Little wonder Bobi Wine is siding with Lumbuye under the cover of freedom of speech and expression.

But according to Mayiga’s personal assistant (PA) Dennis Jjuuko, it is clear Bobi Wine was the backer of Lumbuye’s fake news scheme.

“Now we know who he was working for,” wrote Jjuuko.

“No wonder they never condemned him as he announced Ssaabasajja Kabaka dead…. the other day NUP leaders called him a hero, a comrade as he celebrated his birthday.”