By Robert Wanjala
Johannesburg, South Africa: Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu popularly known as Bobi Wine was on Friday honored with the Africa Freedom Prize by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Ugandan pop star turned fierce leading opposition politician has become popular among many critics of the Uganda government.
The award is in recognition of Bobi Wine’s advocacy for democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Uganda under his People Power movement.
Wine, 36, has emerged as a fierce critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s leadership since he entered Parliament in 2017. Through his songs about social justice, Wine has held a striking chord not only with young Ugandans but across the continent as evidenced through his music performances last night in Johannesburg.
In a musical performance mixed with a speech, in a song titled, “We are Fighting for Freedom” Bobi Wine shares, “This award is not for me, this award is for the people of Uganda who fight day and night to break free from the shackles of oppression. Since independence, Uganda has not seen a peaceful transition from one leadership to another, we are living through a dictatorship in Museveni’s government, the people of Uganda are saying ENOUGH.”
President Museveni’s government has attempted to silence Bobi Wine and the People Power movement. Bobi Wine was imprisoned and beaten for “annoying the President”. Their members were attacked in public, with attempts on their lives in the name of silencing the movement. These attempts, however, have done little to stop the movement.
“Bobi Wine is an African hero. At great personal risk, he inspires disaffected citizens, especially young ones, to be part of a solution for Africa, and not, like most rulers, be only part of the problem. We need a free, dynamic, innovative Africa, and to get there we need people like Bobi Wine. Africa needs to be freed from red tape and free from corruption to be free to advance.” FNF Africa regional director Mr. Jules Maaten.
“When you receive awards you say you receive them for the people of Uganda, that says a lot about you as a person. There is a fear of you and a fear of your popular strength by the ruling regime in Uganda,” said the Liberal International’s Vice President and Chairperson of the LI Human Rights Committee, Ms. Astrid Thors. “We have noticed that you have the support of the entire Uganda diaspora, we wonder how many have fled Uganda fearing prosecution, and we see your efforts fighting for human rights for the persecuted people of Uganda. When you protect the rights of people, you protect the rights of the global liberal order.”
In yet another pronouncement Bobi Wine reiterated that he will be challenging President Yoweri Museveni in 2021 national elections.
“Uganda needs fresh leadership and I want to make it clear here that I would be taking on President Museveni in 2021 general election”, said Wine on the sideline of the award ceremony
Bobi Wine is the fourth recipient of the Africa Freedom Prize with previous recipients being Gareth Cliff (South Africa), Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia) and Mmusi Maimane (South Africa).
The Freedom Prize comes in the form of a honey badger. Like a honey badger, agents of freedom have to be tenacious and brave in the face of unimaginable challenges that they come across.
