Amid growing international concern about the recently concluded Uganda Presidential Election opposition leader Bobi Wine says that he is now worried for his life and has appealed for help.

Uganda opposition leader Bobi Wine appeals for help

Uganda's government spokesman on Tuesday accused the US ambassador of breaching diplomatic norms and engaging in "mischief" over her attempt to visit opposition leader Bobi Wine, who is confined to his home.

The former popstar-turned-politician has been under effective house arrest guarded by soldiers and police, since he cast his ballot in last Thursday's presidential election, which he said was riddled with fraud.

US Ambassador Natalie Brown on Monday tried to meet with Wine — whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi — and was met with a line of police officers clad in riot gear who turned her away.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ugandans-are-voting-will-their-president-of-35-years-win-again-356989">Ugandans are voting. Will their president of 35 years win again?</a>

"The purpose of Ambassador Brown's visit was to check on Mr. Kyagulanyi's health and safety, given that he’s effectively been unable to leave his home, with security forces surrounding his residence," read a statement posted on the US Embassy’s Facebook page on Monday.

Wine, 38, came second in the presidential election, which returned Yoweri Museveni to power for a sixth term, and has said he is cut off from his lawyers and party as the days tick by for him to challenge the vote in the courts.

Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said the attempt by Brown, who took up her post during Uganda's fraught election campaign, was a sign "that she is up to mischief".&nbsp;

"We expect her to write to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to adhere to diplomatic norms. We don't think that a friendly country or someone who wants to help out in a difficult situation would act in this way," he told AFP.

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"It is the arrogance of the Americans, who think they rule the world."

The embassy of the United States said Uganda's election campaign had been "marred by the harassment of opposition candidates, campaign staff, and supporters; suppression of the media and civil society organization activities; and a nationwide internet shutdown before, during, and after voting day." &nbsp; &nbsp;

"These unlawful actions and the effective house arrest of a presidential candidate continue a worrying trend on the course of Uganda's democracy."

Asked if Wine was under house arrest, Opondo said he is "under the protection of the Uganda government" because he is the "target of many forces".

"It's in the interest of the Government of Uganda for him (Wine) not to be harmed in any way."

Uganda's government spokesman on Tuesday accused the US ambassador of breaching diplomatic norms and engaging in "mischief" over her attempt to visit opposition leader Bobi Wine, who is confined to his home.

Uganda's government spokesman on Tuesday accused the US ambassador of breaching diplomatic norms and engaging in "mischief" over her attempt to visit opposition leader Bobi Wine, who is confined to his home. The former popstar-turned-politician has been under effective house arrest guarded by soldiers and police, since he cast his ballot in last Thursday's presidential election, which he said was riddled with fraud. US Ambassador Natalie Brown on Monday tried to meet with Wine — whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi — and was met with a line of police officers clad in riot gear who turned her away. Also read| Ugandans are voting. Will their president of 35 years win again? "The purpose of Ambassador Brown's visit was to check on Mr. Kyagulanyi's health and safety, given that he’s effectively been unable to leave his home, with security forces surrounding his residence," read a statement posted on the US Embassy’s Facebook page on Monday. Wine, 38, came second in the presidential election, which returned Yoweri Museveni to power for a sixth term, and has said he is cut off from his lawyers and party as the days tick by for him to challenge the vote in the courts. Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said the attempt by Brown, who took up her post during Uganda's fraught election campaign, was a sign "that she is up to mischief". "We expect her to write to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to adhere to diplomatic norms. We don't think that a friendly country or someone who wants to help out in a difficult situation would act in this way," he told AFP. WATCH| "It is the arrogance of the Americans, who think they rule the world." The embassy of the United States said Uganda's election campaign had been "marred by the harassment of opposition candidates, campaign staff, and supporters; suppression of the media and civil society organization activities; and a nationwide internet shutdown before, during, and after voting day." "These unlawful actions and the effective house arrest of a presidential candidate continue a worrying trend on the course of Uganda's democracy." Asked if Wine was under house arrest, Opondo said he is "under the protection of the Uganda government" because he is the "target of many forces". "It's in the interest of the Government of Uganda for him (Wine) not to be harmed in any way."

Uganda slams US over attempted visit to confined opposition leader

Uganda's military on Sunday continued to hold top opposition challenger Wine at his home, saying troops were there to protect him.

Uganda eases internet shutdown imposed over election

The opposition party of Ugandan presidential challenger Bobi Wine said that police have prevented top officials from going to their headquarters in the capital, Kampala, as they prepare to launch a legal challenge to Wine's house arrest.

Uganda Presidential Election: Opposition leader's house surrounded by Army & Police

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine remains under "house arrest", his party said on Sunday, after a disputed election returned President Yoweri Museveni to office for a sixth term.

The former ragga singer turned lawmaker came second in the presidential election, and has said the process was marred by widespread fraud and violence.

He has not left his home since he went out to vote in the election on Thursday, and on Friday said he was under "siege" as soldiers and police surrounded his home, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ugandas-opposition-leader-bobi-wine-says-military-raids-home-356972">Uganda’s opposition leader Bobi Wine says military raids home</a>

"Our leader ... is effectively under house arrest," National Unity Platform spokesman Joel Ssenyonyi told a press conference, adding no one was being allowed access.

"His home is not a detention facility. We are very concerned about the state in which he is in, and his wife."

A Twitter update under Wine's account, written by an administrator as Uganda remains under an internet blackout for a fifth day, said the couple had "run out of food supplies."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It’s now four days since the military surrounded our home and placed my wife and I under house arrest. We have run out of food supplies and when my wife tried to pick food from the garden yesterday, she was blocked and assaulted by the soldiers staged in our compound. (ADMIN) <a href="https://t.co/MLEtSbyCcW">pic.twitter.com/MLEtSbyCcW</a>
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) <a href="https://twitter.com/HEBobiwine/status/1350742076430888960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The party said prominent MP, Francis Zaake, who had been arrested during an attempted visit to Wine's house on Friday, had been admitted to hospital "badly beaten and brutalised" by security forces.

Ugandan officials have said the soldiers and police were there for Wine's own security.

'Minority clique'

Wine and his NUP have yet to outline their next steps after dismissing the election as a "complete sham".

"Once again, a minority clique is forcing themselves on the majority of Uganda. That is something that we are going to resist. It is something that we are going to say no to using every avenue provided for within the law," said Ssenyonyi.

Museveni, 76, has ruled Uganda without pause since seizing control in 1986, when he helped to end years of tyranny under Idi Amin and Milton Obote.

Once hailed for his commitment to good governance, the former rebel leader has crushed any opposition and tweaked the constitution to allow himself to run again and again.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ugandas-president-yoweri-museveni-wins-6th-term-in-office-amid-allegations-of-rigged-election-357201">WATCH|</a>

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His re-election with 58.6 per cent of the vote, to Wine's 34.8 per cent, came after the most violent election campaign in recent years, with the harassment of the opposition, media and deaths of scores of Wine's supporters.

Wine said there had been ballot-box stuffing, intimidation, and that his party's agents had been beaten and chased away during the election on Thursday.

However, Museveni has said it was the cleanest election in the country's history.

US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus praised Ugandans on Saturday for voting "despite an environment of intimidation and fear".

She added that the US was "deeply troubled by the many credible reports of security force violence during the pre-election period and election irregularities during the polls".

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine remains under "house arrest", his party said on Sunday, after a disputed election returned President Yoweri Museveni to office for a sixth term.

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine remains under "house arrest", his party said on Sunday, after a disputed election returned President Yoweri Museveni to office for a sixth term. The former ragga singer turned lawmaker came second in the presidential election, and has said the process was marred by widespread fraud and violence. He has not left his home since he went out to vote in the election on Thursday, and on Friday said he was under "siege" as soldiers and police surrounded his home, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. Also read| Uganda’s opposition leader Bobi Wine says military raids home "Our leader ... is effectively under house arrest," National Unity Platform spokesman Joel Ssenyonyi told a press conference, adding no one was being allowed access. "His home is not a detention facility. We are very concerned about the state in which he is in, and his wife." A Twitter update under Wine's account, written by an administrator as Uganda remains under an internet blackout for a fifth day, said the couple had "run out of food supplies." It’s now four days since the military surrounded our home and placed my wife and I under house arrest. We have run out of food supplies and when my wife tried to pick food from the garden yesterday, she was blocked and assaulted by the soldiers staged in our compound. (ADMIN) pic.twitter.com/MLEtSbyCcW — BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) January 17, 2021 × The party said prominent MP, Francis Zaake, who had been arrested during an attempted visit to Wine's house on Friday, had been admitted to hospital "badly beaten and brutalised" by security forces. Ugandan officials have said the soldiers and police were there for Wine's own security. 'Minority clique' Wine and his NUP have yet to outline their next steps after dismissing the election as a "complete sham". "Once again, a minority clique is forcing themselves on the majority of Uganda. That is something that we are going to resist. It is something that we are going to say no to using every avenue provided for within the law," said Ssenyonyi. Museveni, 76, has ruled Uganda without pause since seizing control in 1986, when he helped to end years of tyranny under Idi Amin and Milton Obote. Once hailed for his commitment to good governance, the former rebel leader has crushed any opposition and tweaked the constitution to allow himself to run again and again. WATCH| × His re-election with 58.6 per cent of the vote, to Wine's 34.8 per cent, came after the most violent election campaign in recent years, with the harassment of the opposition, media and deaths of scores of Wine's supporters. Wine said there had been ballot-box stuffing, intimidation, and that his party's agents had been beaten and chased away during the election on Thursday. However, Museveni has said it was the cleanest election in the country's history. US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus praised Ugandans on Saturday for voting "despite an environment of intimidation and fear". She added that the US was "deeply troubled by the many credible reports of security force violence during the pre-election period and election irregularities during the polls".

Uganda's Bobi Wine still under 'house arrest' after poll: Party

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni won a decisive re-election victory on Saturday, elections officials said, but his main rival Bobi Wine alleged widespread fraud and said citizens should reject the result. 
 
Museveni won 5.85 million votes, or 58.6%, while main opposition candidate Wine had 3.48 million votes (34.8%), the Electoral Commission said at a news conference on the final results from Thursday`s election. 
 
Earlier, Wine accused Museveni of fabricating the results and called the poll "the most fraudulent election in the history of Uganda". In a phone interview before the final results were announced, he urged citizens to reject the results. 
 
Wine, a singer-turned-lawmaker, also said his home in the capital, Kampala, was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers and that the military was not allowing him to leave. 
 
The army`s deputy spokesman, Deo Akiiki, told Reuters that security officers at Wine`s house were assessing threats he could face by going out: "So they might be preventing him in the interest of his own safety." 
 
Soldiers and police were out in force patrolling Kampala on Saturday. 
 
Museveni, 76 and in power for 35 years, campaigned for another term arguing his long experience in office makes him a good leader and promising to keep delivering stability and progress. 
 
Wine, 38, galvanised young Ugandans with his calls for political change and pledged to end what he calls dictatorship and widespread corruption. 
 
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, said on Friday he had video proof of voting fraud, and would share the videos as soon as internet connections were restored. The government ordered the internet shut down the day before the election, and the blackout was still in place. 
 
Electoral Commission Chairman Simon Byabakama said on Friday that under Ugandan law, the burden of proof rested with Wine. 
 
Reuters has not independently verified Wine`s claims. 
 
The United States and the European Union did not deploy observer teams, but the U.S. State Department’s top diplomat for Africa, Tibor Nagy, said in a tweet early on Saturday that the "electoral process has been fundamentally flawed". 
 
He cited fraud reports, denial of accreditation to observers, violence and harassment of opposition members, and the arrest of civil society activists. 
 
The African Union and East African Community sent observer teams to the election, but neither group of officials responded to requests for comment about possible irregularities. 
 
Police recorded 42 election-related offences nationwide during voting and tallying so far, police spokesman Fred Enanga said on Friday night on local NBS TV. Offences included assaults, voter bribery, and theft and damage of electoral materials, he said. 
 
The run-up to Thursday`s election was more violent than in previous polls. Security forces cracked down on opposition candidates and their supporters during the campaign, and more than 50 people died in protests in November on one of the multiple occasions when Wine was arrested. 
 
PARLIAMENTARY WINS 
 
In addition to the internet blackout, the government on Tuesday banned all social media and messaging apps. Wine and his supporters often used Facebook to relay live coverage of his campaign. 
 
In the parliamentary election, where candidates were vying for 529 seats, results were still coming in but Ugandan media reported that 56 candidates from Wine`s National Unity Platform (NUP) had won their races, while the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), previously the largest opposition party, has so far won 34 seats. 
 
The country`s vice president, Edward Ssekandi, was one of a number of senior ruling party MPs who lost their seats, according to broadcaster NTV Uganda. 
 
The FDC won 35 seats in the 2016 election, but the NUP had no seats in the previous parliament - Wine was elected as an independent and joined the party last year.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni won a decisive re-election victory on Saturday, elections officials said, but his main rival Bobi Wine alleged widespread fraud and said citizens should reject the result.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni won a decisive re-election victory on Saturday, elections officials said, but his main rival Bobi Wine alleged widespread fraud and said citizens should reject the result. Museveni won 5.85 million votes, or 58.6%, while main opposition candidate Wine had 3.48 million votes (34.8%), the Electoral Commission said at a news conference on the final results from Thursday`s election. Earlier, Wine accused Museveni of fabricating the results and called the poll "the most fraudulent election in the history of Uganda". In a phone interview before the final results were announced, he urged citizens to reject the results. Wine, a singer-turned-lawmaker, also said his home in the capital, Kampala, was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers and that the military was not allowing him to leave. The army`s deputy spokesman, Deo Akiiki, told Reuters that security officers at Wine`s house were assessing threats he could face by going out: "So they might be preventing him in the interest of his own safety." Soldiers and police were out in force patrolling Kampala on Saturday. Museveni, 76 and in power for 35 years, campaigned for another term arguing his long experience in office makes him a good leader and promising to keep delivering stability and progress. Wine, 38, galvanised young Ugandans with his calls for political change and pledged to end what he calls dictatorship and widespread corruption. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, said on Friday he had video proof of voting fraud, and would share the videos as soon as internet connections were restored. The government ordered the internet shut down the day before the election, and the blackout was still in place. Electoral Commission Chairman Simon Byabakama said on Friday that under Ugandan law, the burden of proof rested with Wine. Reuters has not independently verified Wine`s claims. The United States and the European Union did not deploy observer teams, but the U.S. State Department’s top diplomat for Africa, Tibor Nagy, said in a tweet early on Saturday that the "electoral process has been fundamentally flawed". He cited fraud reports, denial of accreditation to observers, violence and harassment of opposition members, and the arrest of civil society activists. The African Union and East African Community sent observer teams to the election, but neither group of officials responded to requests for comment about possible irregularities. Police recorded 42 election-related offences nationwide during voting and tallying so far, police spokesman Fred Enanga said on Friday night on local NBS TV. Offences included assaults, voter bribery, and theft and damage of electoral materials, he said. The run-up to Thursday`s election was more violent than in previous polls. Security forces cracked down on opposition candidates and their supporters during the campaign, and more than 50 people died in protests in November on one of the multiple occasions when Wine was arrested. PARLIAMENTARY WINS In addition to the internet blackout, the government on Tuesday banned all social media and messaging apps. Wine and his supporters often used Facebook to relay live coverage of his campaign. In the parliamentary election, where candidates were vying for 529 seats, results were still coming in but Ugandan media reported that 56 candidates from Wine`s National Unity Platform (NUP) had won their races, while the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), previously the largest opposition party, has so far won 34 seats. The country`s vice president, Edward Ssekandi, was one of a number of senior ruling party MPs who lost their seats, according to broadcaster NTV Uganda. The FDC won 35 seats in the 2016 election, but the NUP had no seats in the previous parliament - Wine was elected as an independent and joined the party last year.

Uganda: Museveni declared winner of presidential poll; rival alleges fraud

Uganda's Yoweri Museveni looked headed for a sixth term as president with election results Saturday placing him firmly ahead of his main rival, who has cried fraud and whose home has been put under heavy guard.

The country's election commission announced that with 86.7 percent of polling stations reporting results, Museveni had 58.8 percent of votes, while former popstar Bobi Wine had 34.2 percent.

Final results are expected by Saturday afternoon.

Wine, 38, meanwhile was on track to see his newly formed National Unity Platform (NUP) become the main opposition party in Parliament, notably winning eight of nine constituencies in the capital Kampala.

The poll followed one of the most violent campaigns in years, with harassment and arrests of the opposition, attacks on the media and the deaths of at least 54 people.

Thursday's election took place in apparent calm, but under the oppressive presence of soldiers and riot police and an internet blackout which has now entered its fourth day.

However Wine has alleged widespread fraud such as ballot box stuffing and said his party agents had in some places been beaten and chased away from polling stations.

"Whatever is being declared is a complete sham, we reject it and we dissociate ourselves with it," he said on Friday.

Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, promised to provide video evidence once the internet was restored.&nbsp;

Election commission chairman Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama said "the onus is on candidate Kyagulanyi to show how votes are rigged."

On Friday late afternoon Wine told AFP he felt under threat as soldiers surrounded his home

"They jumped over my fence. They came inside my compound. They are here right now. I don't know why they're here. But I'm imagining they are here to harm me. I feel threatened," said the 38-year-old, who described the invasion as unprecedented and "a siege".

The army's deputy spokesman Deo Akiiki said the soldiers were there to provide security and had stopped three people who tried to "access the house".

Police have advised people not to go out to celebrate or protest when results are announced citing draconian Covid-19 regulations which have regularly been used to crack down on the opposition.

- 35 years of Museveni -

Museveni has ruled Uganda without pause since seizing control in 1986, when he helped to end years of tyranny under Idi Amin and Milton Obote. He is one of Africa's longest serving leaders.

Once hailed for his commitment to good governance, the former rebel leader has crushed any opposition and tweaked the constitution to allow himself to run again and again.

And for many in the country, where the median age is 16 and most have known only one president, Museveni's glory days are no longer relevant or sufficient.

Wine, with his humble origins in a slum and popular songs about economic and social injustice, struck a cord with the youth, but observers say the odds were stacked against him with Museveni's powerful grip on the state.

The election took place with no major internation observer mission aside from the African Union, with the United States saying too many of its staff were denied permission to monitor the vote.

Uganda's Yoweri Museveni looked headed for a sixth term as president with election results Saturday placing him firmly ahead of his main rival, who has cried fraud and whose home has been put under heavy guard.

Uganda's Yoweri Museveni looked headed for a sixth term as president with election results Saturday placing him firmly ahead of his main rival, who has cried fraud and whose home has been put under heavy guard. The country's election commission announced that with 86.7 percent of polling stations reporting results, Museveni had 58.8 percent of votes, while former popstar Bobi Wine had 34.2 percent. Final results are expected by Saturday afternoon. Wine, 38, meanwhile was on track to see his newly formed National Unity Platform (NUP) become the main opposition party in Parliament, notably winning eight of nine constituencies in the capital Kampala. The poll followed one of the most violent campaigns in years, with harassment and arrests of the opposition, attacks on the media and the deaths of at least 54 people. Thursday's election took place in apparent calm, but under the oppressive presence of soldiers and riot police and an internet blackout which has now entered its fourth day. However Wine has alleged widespread fraud such as ballot box stuffing and said his party agents had in some places been beaten and chased away from polling stations. "Whatever is being declared is a complete sham, we reject it and we dissociate ourselves with it," he said on Friday. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, promised to provide video evidence once the internet was restored. Election commission chairman Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama said "the onus is on candidate Kyagulanyi to show how votes are rigged." On Friday late afternoon Wine told AFP he felt under threat as soldiers surrounded his home "They jumped over my fence. They came inside my compound. They are here right now. I don't know why they're here. But I'm imagining they are here to harm me. I feel threatened," said the 38-year-old, who described the invasion as unprecedented and "a siege". The army's deputy spokesman Deo Akiiki said the soldiers were there to provide security and had stopped three people who tried to "access the house". Police have advised people not to go out to celebrate or protest when results are announced citing draconian Covid-19 regulations which have regularly been used to crack down on the opposition. - 35 years of Museveni - Museveni has ruled Uganda without pause since seizing control in 1986, when he helped to end years of tyranny under Idi Amin and Milton Obote. He is one of Africa's longest serving leaders. Once hailed for his commitment to good governance, the former rebel leader has crushed any opposition and tweaked the constitution to allow himself to run again and again. And for many in the country, where the median age is 16 and most have known only one president, Museveni's glory days are no longer relevant or sufficient. Wine, with his humble origins in a slum and popular songs about economic and social injustice, struck a cord with the youth, but observers say the odds were stacked against him with Museveni's powerful grip on the state. The election took place with no major internation observer mission aside from the African Union, with the United States saying too many of its staff were denied permission to monitor the vote.

Uganda's Museveni on track for sixth term as president

Ugandans voted Thursday in a hotly contested election that will decide whether President Yoweri Museveni wins a sixth term in office and continues his 35-year rule of the country or is unseated by one of 10 rivals, including a leading opposition candidate, Bobi Wine, a rapper-turned-lawmaker.

The vote has been unexpectedly competitive despite fierce government attempts to stifle the opposition — moves that have drawn global attention to Museveni’s autocratic rule.

Watch |&nbsp;

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Government authorities have arrested and beaten Wine repeatedly during the campaign, detained his campaign team as well as 600 members of his party and, the day before the election, forced his private security guards to withdraw from protecting his house, according to his lawyer, Bruce Afran.

Security forces have justified the arrests of Wine and other opposition leaders by saying such steps were necessary to enforce restrictions on political gatherings in order to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Uganda’s strict rules have kept confirmed, reported cases under 38,000, but human rights groups say the measures have been used as a pretense to crack down on critics.

The election is the fourth in the East African nation since multiparty politics was restored in 2005 — but by then Museveni had already been in power for nearly two decades.

In a campaign marked by violence, killings, arbitrary arrests and internet restrictions, observers will be watching for delays in ballot deliveries, voter intimidation and irregularities in vote tallying, along with possible unrest that could ensue in the coming days. The results of the election are expected late Saturday.

<h2>Who are the leading candidates for president?</h2>

More than 18 million voters have registered for the election, where they will cast ballots for presidential, parliamentary and local representatives. There are 11 presidential candidates vying for to lead Uganda over the next five years, and a candidate must win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.

Most prominent among them is the incumbent, Museveni, a former rebel who came to power in January 1986 and has since ruled the country with an iron grip. At 76, Museveni is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

His main rival is Wine, a 38-year-old musician who was elected to Parliament in 2017. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has long used his music to lament the state of the country under Museveni and aims to galvanize the youth vote to unseat him. During the campaign, security forces have beaten and tear-gassed Wine, and he was charged in court for flouting coronavirus rules.

In early January, he filed a petition with the International Criminal Court accusing Museveni’s government of authorizing a wave of violence against political figures and human rights lawyers — including attempts to kill him.

Other candidates in the election have also been targeted, including Patrick Amuriat, who is representing the Forum for Democratic Change party. Authorities have beaten and detained Amuriat in several instances, including the day he filed his candidacy papers in November.

Nancy Kalembe Linda, a former banker and news anchor, is the only female candidate running for president.

<h2>How has Museveni held on to power for so long?</h2>

Since Uganda’s independence from Britain in 1962, there has been no peaceful handover of power. When Museveni seized the reins in 1986, on the back of an armed uprising, he promised that his government would further the cause of competitive politics in a nation that had endured years of colonialism, and then dictatorship and lawlessness under the rule of both Milton Obote and Idi Amin.

But in the decades since, Museveni and the ruling National Resistance Movement have clung to power through politicized prosecution of opposition figures, while undermining independent media and civil society.

Museveni’s government has “insisted that its political opponents were ‘foreign agents’ funded by outsiders, that they were self-interested, that they were immoral and disposed against Ugandans’ interest,” said Derek R. Peterson, a professor of history and African studies at the University of Michigan.

Elections, when they have taken place, have been riddled with allegations of fraud and irregularities.

In 2018, Museveni signed a law that scrapped the presidential age limit of 75. Opposition legislators and lawyers challenged the amendment, but the Supreme Court upheld it in 2019.

<h2>How has the government tried to control the flow of information?</h2>

As voters cast their ballots Thursday, internet connectivity remained down across Uganda as the government ordered telecom companies to block access to social media platforms and online messaging applications.

Opposition candidates including Wine say they have been blocked by authorities from appearing on radio stations to speak to the public.

With limitations on public gatherings because of pandemic restrictions, “social media provided aspirants with a potential way of reaching a large number of prospective voters,” said Jamie Hitchen, an independent researcher who has studied the role of technology in African elections.

But the government quickly found ways to undermine their reach on those platforms, too. In December, the government asked Google to block 14 YouTube channels, mostly linked to the opposition. Museveni also announced this week that he had ordered Facebook to be blocked in the country days after the company took down fake accounts linked to his reelection campaign.

Since the campaigns kicked off in early November, journalists have also faced harassment and beatings from security forces as they covered opposition candidates. The authorities introduced stringent accreditation rules for reporters, and deported at least one foreign crew, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a watchdog group.

<h2>What are the main issues at stake?</h2>

For a long time, Museveni and his party have cast themselves as a bulwark against a return to the violence and political strife that shaped Uganda in the 1970s and ’80s. But with more than 75% of the population younger than 30, many young people no longer “live in the shadow of history,” Peterson of the University of Michigan said.

“They have different aspirations, different fears, and different ambitions” from voters in earlier times, he added.

Key among the concerns of younger people is the question of jobs. Around 700,000 Ugandans reach working age every year, but only 75,000 new jobs are created annually, according to the World Bank. Many are also frustrated by the corruption that has been rife in Museveni’s government for decades, and they yearn for better infrastructure and improved public services, including better education opportunities and affordable health care.

<h2>Was the vote expected to be fair?</h2>

Previous elections in Uganda have been dogged by irregularities along with reports of ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and voter fraud. Voters across the country have also previously been denied the ability to cast their ballots, with officials saying that their names were not found on voter registries. Ballots to opposition strongholds, including in the capital, Kampala, have also been delivered very late in the past.

The validity of this election is already being questioned after observers, including from the United States, pulled out because of lack of accreditation. There have also been reports of the failure of electronic voter identification systems because of the internet shutdown. 
&nbsp;

Ugandans voted Thursday in a hotly contested election that will decide whether President Yoweri Museveni wins a sixth term in office and continues his 35-year rule of the country or is unseated by one of 10 rivals, including a leading opposition candidate, Bobi Wine, a rapper-turned-lawmaker.

Ugandans voted Thursday in a hotly contested election that will decide whether President Yoweri Museveni wins a sixth term in office and continues his 35-year rule of the country or is unseated by one of 10 rivals, including a leading opposition candidate, Bobi Wine, a rapper-turned-lawmaker. The vote has been unexpectedly competitive despite fierce government attempts to stifle the opposition — moves that have drawn global attention to Museveni’s autocratic rule. Watch | Government authorities have arrested and beaten Wine repeatedly during the campaign, detained his campaign team as well as 600 members of his party and, the day before the election, forced his private security guards to withdraw from protecting his house, according to his lawyer, Bruce Afran. Security forces have justified the arrests of Wine and other opposition leaders by saying such steps were necessary to enforce restrictions on political gatherings in order to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Uganda’s strict rules have kept confirmed, reported cases under 38,000, but human rights groups say the measures have been used as a pretense to crack down on critics. The election is the fourth in the East African nation since multiparty politics was restored in 2005 — but by then Museveni had already been in power for nearly two decades. In a campaign marked by violence, killings, arbitrary arrests and internet restrictions, observers will be watching for delays in ballot deliveries, voter intimidation and irregularities in vote tallying, along with possible unrest that could ensue in the coming days. The results of the election are expected late Saturday. Who are the leading candidates for president? More than 18 million voters have registered for the election, where they will cast ballots for presidential, parliamentary and local representatives. There are 11 presidential candidates vying for to lead Uganda over the next five years, and a candidate must win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff. Most prominent among them is the incumbent, Museveni, a former rebel who came to power in January 1986 and has since ruled the country with an iron grip. At 76, Museveni is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. His main rival is Wine, a 38-year-old musician who was elected to Parliament in 2017. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has long used his music to lament the state of the country under Museveni and aims to galvanize the youth vote to unseat him. During the campaign, security forces have beaten and tear-gassed Wine, and he was charged in court for flouting coronavirus rules. In early January, he filed a petition with the International Criminal Court accusing Museveni’s government of authorizing a wave of violence against political figures and human rights lawyers — including attempts to kill him. Other candidates in the election have also been targeted, including Patrick Amuriat, who is representing the Forum for Democratic Change party. Authorities have beaten and detained Amuriat in several instances, including the day he filed his candidacy papers in November. Nancy Kalembe Linda, a former banker and news anchor, is the only female candidate running for president. How has Museveni held on to power for so long? Since Uganda’s independence from Britain in 1962, there has been no peaceful handover of power. When Museveni seized the reins in 1986, on the back of an armed uprising, he promised that his government would further the cause of competitive politics in a nation that had endured years of colonialism, and then dictatorship and lawlessness under the rule of both Milton Obote and Idi Amin. But in the decades since, Museveni and the ruling National Resistance Movement have clung to power through politicized prosecution of opposition figures, while undermining independent media and civil society. Museveni’s government has “insisted that its political opponents were ‘foreign agents’ funded by outsiders, that they were self-interested, that they were immoral and disposed against Ugandans’ interest,” said Derek R. Peterson, a professor of history and African studies at the University of Michigan. Elections, when they have taken place, have been riddled with allegations of fraud and irregularities. In 2018, Museveni signed a law that scrapped the presidential age limit of 75. Opposition legislators and lawyers challenged the amendment, but the Supreme Court upheld it in 2019. How has the government tried to control the flow of information? As voters cast their ballots Thursday, internet connectivity remained down across Uganda as the government ordered telecom companies to block access to social media platforms and online messaging applications. Opposition candidates including Wine say they have been blocked by authorities from appearing on radio stations to speak to the public. With limitations on public gatherings because of pandemic restrictions, “social media provided aspirants with a potential way of reaching a large number of prospective voters,” said Jamie Hitchen, an independent researcher who has studied the role of technology in African elections. But the government quickly found ways to undermine their reach on those platforms, too. In December, the government asked Google to block 14 YouTube channels, mostly linked to the opposition. Museveni also announced this week that he had ordered Facebook to be blocked in the country days after the company took down fake accounts linked to his reelection campaign. Since the campaigns kicked off in early November, journalists have also faced harassment and beatings from security forces as they covered opposition candidates. The authorities introduced stringent accreditation rules for reporters, and deported at least one foreign crew, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a watchdog group. What are the main issues at stake? For a long time, Museveni and his party have cast themselves as a bulwark against a return to the violence and political strife that shaped Uganda in the 1970s and ’80s. But with more than 75% of the population younger than 30, many young people no longer “live in the shadow of history,” Peterson of the University of Michigan said. “They have different aspirations, different fears, and different ambitions” from voters in earlier times, he added. Key among the concerns of younger people is the question of jobs. Around 700,000 Ugandans reach working age every year, but only 75,000 new jobs are created annually, according to the World Bank. Many are also frustrated by the corruption that has been rife in Museveni’s government for decades, and they yearn for better infrastructure and improved public services, including better education opportunities and affordable health care. Was the vote expected to be fair? Previous elections in Uganda have been dogged by irregularities along with reports of ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and voter fraud. Voters across the country have also previously been denied the ability to cast their ballots, with officials saying that their names were not found on voter registries. Ballots to opposition strongholds, including in the capital, Kampala, have also been delivered very late in the past. The validity of this election is already being questioned after observers, including from the United States, pulled out because of lack of accreditation. There have also been reports of the failure of electronic voter identification systems because of the internet shutdown.

Ugandans are voting. Will their president of 35 years win again?

Uganda is witnessing its bloodiest Presidential Election in history. There is a massive military presence across Uganda ahead of the polling. Opposition Leader Bobi Wine has urged voters to guard against rigging.

Gravitas: Fears of rigging ahead of polling in Uganda

Bobi Wine has repeatedly been underestimated by government supporters and critics since he first ran for parliament.

Uganda polls: 'It is going to be a revolutionary election', says Presidential candidate Bobi Wine

The East-African country of Uganda is heading to a presidential election on Thursday. President Yoweri Museveni's 35-year long rule is being challenged.

Uganda gets ready for Presidential election, social media blackout ahead of polls

Uganda has never seen a peaceful transition of power, and the election campaign has been fraught with violence and intimidation.

Uganda: Presidential candidate Bobi Wine's big statement, says 'Lets this be a protest vote'

Being tall is the giraffe's competitive advantage, giving it the pick of leaves from the tallest trees, so scientists were stunned to find two giraffe dwarfs on different sides of Africa.

Scientists surprised to discover two dwarf giraffes in Namibia, Uganda

Uganda's incumbent President Yoweri Museveni has been accused of human rights violations. His challenger - singer turned political Bobi Wine has filed a report against him. WION'S Palkitells you how the high stakes Presidential election in Uganda is shaping up.

Gravitas: High stakes political battle in Uganda

Days before high stake presidential election in Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni has been accused of systematic violation of human rights. Singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine has filed a report mentioning graphic details of some of the incidents.

Days before high stake presidential election in Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni has been accused of systematic violation of human rights. Singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine has filed a report mentioning graphic details of some of the incidents. The International Criminal Court has been asked to investigate the alleged violations. What is the current political climate in Uganda? Bobi Wine, who is Uganda's opposition leader, was violently dragged out of his vehicle by the police. He wore a helmet and a bulletproof vest saying he expected to be attacked at any time. He has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate incumbent president Yoweri Museveni. According to Bobie, Museveni trying to crush the opposition with every trick in the book like tear gas, midnight arrests, threats and intimidation. Ugandans say they're accustomed to heavy-handedness. But even by their standards, the crackdown ahead of the election has been described as extreme. Journalists face attacks, lawyers face jail terms, and election officials face persecution. The president's desperate attempts to stay in power have shocked Uganda's allies even the United States of America. The latest 41-page document highlights chilling incidents of human rights abuses. In November 2020, at least 54 people were killed in Kampala as security forces put down a riot provoked by the arrest of Bobi Wine. His campaign was accused of violating coronavirus regulations. The govt reportedly issued a shoot to kill orders against protesters. There are graphic details of activists being tortured using hot metal plates and venom. In one case, a detainee was allegedly forced to watch as an activist's eyes were gouged out. 76-year-old Yoweri Museveni is determined to hold on to power so much so that in 2017, he pushed the age limit for the president. He has been ruling the country for 35 years and he has no plans of stepping down. One report says Uganda's poverty has fallen from 60 per cent to 20 per cent during Museveni's time in power. But the world bank says that for every 700,000 people who reach working age in one year, there are only 75,000 jobs. Two-thirds of registered voters are under 30 years of age. Uganda is a young country being led by an old leader. Musician-turned politician Bobi Wine was a toddler when Museveni first became president. He used to sing love songs, but his music and perspective changed the day he faced police brutality. He paints Museveni as a dictator who does not understand the aspirations of young Ugandans. Despite facing multiple arrests and torture, Bobi Wine is determined to unseat Museveni.

International Criminal Court to investigate political climate in Uganda

Uganda's popstar presidential candidate Bobi Wine has been arrested. 38-year-old Bobi Wine is seeking to end the 34-year long rule of President Yoweri K Museveni. It's a David vs Goliath story. Palki Sharma has a report.

Gravitas: Uganda's Presidential candidate Bobi Wine arrested

Uganda's popstar-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who is running for the presidency and challenging the 34-year-old rule of President Yoweri Museveni, has been arrested.

Take a look at this report which tells you why it's a David vs Goliath story.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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"Fellow Ugandans, citizens of the world, as you can see, we have been hijacked here by the police and the military. Nobody is talking to us, they are just arresting people, beating people. We don't know what is happening, we don't know what is going to happen to us, the military has blocked us, nobody is talking to us, nobody is answering any question," said Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi in the last message before his arrest.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ugandan-presidential-candidate-wine-says-military-police-vehicle-killed-bodyguard-352985">Ugandan presidential candidate Wine says military-police vehicle killed bodyguard</a>

On December 30, Wine and his campaign team were arrested in Kalangala in central Uganda.&nbsp;

Images from the scene showed Wine surrounded by police officers and military troops armed with rifles.&nbsp;

The arrest followed weeks of violence, which Ugandan authorities blamed on Wine, but critics claim the government should be held accountable.&nbsp;

Critics say the government is unnecessarily cracking down on supporters on Wine as he is seeking to end the long rule of Ugandan president.&nbsp;

Museveni, 76, has been the president of Uganda since 1986 and his term is marred with conflicts, rebellions, political suppression and consecutive humanitarian emergencies.&nbsp;

He is seeking a sixth term in the presidential election that will be held on January 14.&nbsp;

Wine, 38-year-old, has become a lightning rod for opposition to Museveni and several young Ugandan see him as the one who will take their country out from poverty and unemployment.&nbsp;

His arrest has become a flashpoint as the protests have escalated and the tensions have reached a tipping point.

The consequences could be severe. 
&nbsp; 
"We have told you before and we continue to tell you that no amount of brutality, no amount of teargas, no amount of torture or pepper spray that is going to stop us," said Wine.&nbsp;

Uganda's popstar-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who is running for the presidency and challenging the 34-year-old rule of President Yoweri Museveni, has been arrested.

Uganda's popstar-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who is running for the presidency and challenging the 34-year-old rule of President Yoweri Museveni, has been arrested. Take a look at this report which tells you why it's a David vs Goliath story. Watch | "Fellow Ugandans, citizens of the world, as you can see, we have been hijacked here by the police and the military. Nobody is talking to us, they are just arresting people, beating people. We don't know what is happening, we don't know what is going to happen to us, the military has blocked us, nobody is talking to us, nobody is answering any question," said Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi in the last message before his arrest. Also read | Ugandan presidential candidate Wine says military-police vehicle killed bodyguard On December 30, Wine and his campaign team were arrested in Kalangala in central Uganda. Images from the scene showed Wine surrounded by police officers and military troops armed with rifles. The arrest followed weeks of violence, which Ugandan authorities blamed on Wine, but critics claim the government should be held accountable. Critics say the government is unnecessarily cracking down on supporters on Wine as he is seeking to end the long rule of Ugandan president. Museveni, 76, has been the president of Uganda since 1986 and his term is marred with conflicts, rebellions, political suppression and consecutive humanitarian emergencies. He is seeking a sixth term in the presidential election that will be held on January 14. Wine, 38-year-old, has become a lightning rod for opposition to Museveni and several young Ugandan see him as the one who will take their country out from poverty and unemployment. His arrest has become a flashpoint as the protests have escalated and the tensions have reached a tipping point. The consequences could be severe. "We have told you before and we continue to tell you that no amount of brutality, no amount of teargas, no amount of torture or pepper spray that is going to stop us," said Wine.

As Uganda's Bobi Wine is arrested, here's why it's story of David vs Goliath

Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, and his campaign team were arrested on Wednesday and he said on Twitter that authorities returned him to his Kampala home in a military helicopter.

Uganda opposition candidate Bobi Wine arrested, police fire tear gas at protesters

Ugandan presidential candidate Bobi Wine alleged that military truck ran over his bodyguard which led to his killing.&nbsp;

"I regret to announce the murder of my security team member Francis Senteza Kalibala aka Frank. He was deliberately ran over by military-police truck," Wine wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

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I regret to announce the murder of my security team member Francis Senteza Kalibala aka Frank. He was deliberately ran over by military-police truck, No. H4DF 2382 which blocked us in Busega on our way to Rubaga to get Kasirye Ashraf emergency medical attention. 
 
What a day! <a href="https://t.co/SmdTcUjC6g">pic.twitter.com/SmdTcUjC6g</a>
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) <a href="https://twitter.com/HEBobiwine/status/1343191570296745986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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He also said that the incident took place after his convoy was helping a journalist who required emergency medical attention after being wounded by police.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/family-of-ugandan-activist-killed-in-us-files-270-mn-claim-343087">Family of Ugandan activist killed in US files $270 mn claim</a>

However, Ugandan military denied its hand behind the death of the bodyguard, saying he "fell off a speeding car".&nbsp;

In Pics | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/seven-year-old-uganda-boys-aviation-knowledge-leaves-several-awestruck-352145">Seven-year-old Uganda boy's aviation knowledge leaves several awestruck</a>

"UPDF (Ugandan People's Defence Force) would like to clarify that the late Senteza ... was not knocked by a Military Police Vehicle as purported, but rather fell off a speeding car ... he tried to jump to (sic) but fell off," Brig. Gen. Flavia Byekwaso, the spokesperson, tweeted late on Sunday.&nbsp;

Police spokesman Fred Enanga earlier said that supporters of Wine gathered on Sunday in Masaka and called them a "violent group".

"Teargas was used to quell the violence. The journalists were regrettably caught up during the process of dispersing the violent group," said Enaga.&nbsp;

Wine, a pop star turned politician, has become one of the strongest contenders for the presidency.&nbsp;

Ugandan presidential candidate Bobi Wine alleged that military truck ran over his bodyguard which led to his killing. "I regret to announce the murder of my security team member Francis Senteza Kalibala aka Frank.

Ugandan presidential candidate Bobi Wine alleged that military truck ran over his bodyguard which led to his killing. "I regret to announce the murder of my security team member Francis Senteza Kalibala aka Frank. He was deliberately ran over by military-police truck," Wine wrote on Twitter. I regret to announce the murder of my security team member Francis Senteza Kalibala aka Frank. He was deliberately ran over by military-police truck, No. H4DF 2382 which blocked us in Busega on our way to Rubaga to get Kasirye Ashraf emergency medical attention. What a day! pic.twitter.com/SmdTcUjC6g — BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) December 27, 2020 × He also said that the incident took place after his convoy was helping a journalist who required emergency medical attention after being wounded by police. Also read | Family of Ugandan activist killed in US files $270 mn claim However, Ugandan military denied its hand behind the death of the bodyguard, saying he "fell off a speeding car". In Pics | Seven-year-old Uganda boy's aviation knowledge leaves several awestruck "UPDF (Ugandan People's Defence Force) would like to clarify that the late Senteza ... was not knocked by a Military Police Vehicle as purported, but rather fell off a speeding car ... he tried to jump to (sic) but fell off," Brig. Gen. Flavia Byekwaso, the spokesperson, tweeted late on Sunday. Police spokesman Fred Enanga earlier said that supporters of Wine gathered on Sunday in Masaka and called them a "violent group". "Teargas was used to quell the violence. The journalists were regrettably caught up during the process of dispersing the violent group," said Enaga. Wine, a pop star turned politician, has become one of the strongest contenders for the presidency.

Ugandan presidential candidate Wine says military-police vehicle killed bodyguard

Seven-year-old Uganda boy's aviation knowledge leaves several awestruck

The family of a Ugandan activist, who was killed in an accident over the summer at one of America's top national parks, has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim.

Esther Nakajjigo was visiting Arches National Park in Utah with her French husband Ludovic Michaud in mid-June when an unsecured gate swung into the road, decapitating her as she sat in the passenger seat of their car.

Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages from the National Park Service, while Nakajjigo's family is seeking $30 million, US media reported Friday.

The newlywed couple had travelled to the park to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their first date.

In an interview carried by CBS4 television station in Denver this week, Michaud, who lives in Colorado, said he still has flashbacks of the accident and is "trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning."

"What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family, told local media. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newlywed bride right in front of him."

Nakajjigo had a huge following in her native Uganda and was involved with numerous philanthropic projects.

She was especially interested in reducing teenage pregnancy and created a reality television show to empower women. She had come to the United States to further her education and met Michaud in June 2019 through a dating app.

The couple married in March and planned to throw a big wedding party in Uganda once the Covid-19 pandemic was over.

The family of a Ugandan activist, who was killed in an accident over the summer at one of America's top national parks, has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim.

The family of a Ugandan activist, who was killed in an accident over the summer at one of America's top national parks, has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim. Esther Nakajjigo was visiting Arches National Park in Utah with her French husband Ludovic Michaud in mid-June when an unsecured gate swung into the road, decapitating her as she sat in the passenger seat of their car. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages from the National Park Service, while Nakajjigo's family is seeking $30 million, US media reported Friday. The newlywed couple had travelled to the park to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their first date. In an interview carried by CBS4 television station in Denver this week, Michaud, who lives in Colorado, said he still has flashbacks of the accident and is "trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning." "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family, told local media. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newlywed bride right in front of him." Nakajjigo had a huge following in her native Uganda and was involved with numerous philanthropic projects. She was especially interested in reducing teenage pregnancy and created a reality television show to empower women. She had come to the United States to further her education and met Michaud in June 2019 through a dating app. The couple married in March and planned to throw a big wedding party in Uganda once the Covid-19 pandemic was over.

Family of Ugandan activist killed in US files $270 mn claim

India has gifted 36 vehicles, including 10 troop carriers to Ugandan Defence Forces--the Uganda People's defence force (UPDF).&nbsp;

Other vehicles in the gift include 10 buses, 10 troop carriers, two&nbsp;ambulances and 14 motocycles. It was handed over by India's high commissioner to Uganda Ajay Kumar to Uganda's Defence Minister Adolf Mwesige.

The gift of vehicles was one of the key announcements made during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country in July,&nbsp;2018.&nbsp;

India aims to support Africa when it come to its defence needs. &nbsp;A release from the Indian high commission in Uganda said,"India remains committed to supporting African countries in their economic development and capacity building"

Earlier this year, the first India-Africa defence ministers conclave took place in Lucknow. Over 154 delegates from Africa including defence ministers from 14 African countries, member of parliament, 19 defence and service chiefs and 8 permanent secretaries from 38 African countries participated in the Conclave.

India has gifted 36 vehicles, including 10 troop carriers to Ugandan Defence Forces--the Uganda People's defence force (UPDF). Other vehicles in the gift include 10 buses, 10 troop carriers, two ambulances and 14 motocycles.

India has gifted 36 vehicles, including 10 troop carriers to Ugandan Defence Forces--the Uganda People's defence force (UPDF). Other vehicles in the gift include 10 buses, 10 troop carriers, two ambulances and 14 motocycles. It was handed over by India's high commissioner to Uganda Ajay Kumar to Uganda's Defence Minister Adolf Mwesige. The gift of vehicles was one of the key announcements made during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country in July, 2018. India aims to support Africa when it come to its defence needs. A release from the Indian high commission in Uganda said,"India remains committed to supporting African countries in their economic development and capacity building" Earlier this year, the first India-Africa defence ministers conclave took place in Lucknow. Over 154 delegates from Africa including defence ministers from 14 African countries, member of parliament, 19 defence and service chiefs and 8 permanent secretaries from 38 African countries participated in the Conclave.

India gifts troop carriers to Ugandan defence forces

4,000 drivers had camped on the highway over delayed testing by the Uganda authorities.

Trucks carrying food stuck at Ugandan border

Music has no boundaries and there are ample examples of this that we can see in today's time.&nbsp;

Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine recently wrote a new track on coronavirus pandemic and this is something that you have to hear.&nbsp;

The singer shared a video on his Twitter account, ''Since morning we have received numerous requests for written authorization to play this song on TVs &amp; Radio stations. Please go ahead and use it! It's not ours anymore but for the world. We're only trying to add our voice to the many ongoing efforts against <a data-focusable="true" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hashtag_click" role="link">#COVID19</a>. Full video..''

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Since morning we have received numerous requests for written authorization to play this song on TVs &amp; Radio stations. Please go ahead and use it! It's not ours anymore but for the world. We're only trying to add our voice to the many ongoing efforts against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>. Full video.. <a href="https://t.co/6ea3shezSs">pic.twitter.com/6ea3shezSs</a>
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) <a href="https://twitter.com/HEBobiwine/status/1242850597067542531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The singer is also known as Robert Kyagulanyi and&nbsp;with fellow artist Nubian Li tune he has come together to teach people&nbsp;about the importance of personal hygiene&nbsp;throught East Africa's signature rhumba melodies.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PUHrck2g7Ic" width="560"></iframe>

In the song, he is&nbsp;talking about the deadly virus, "The bad news is that everyone is a potential victim," Kyagulanyi says in the lyrics. "But the good news is that everyone is a potential solution." and also urge people to regularly wash hands, keep a distance and look out for symptoms like fever and cough. 
 
Uganda has confirmed 14&nbsp;cases of COVID-19 so far, and as a precautions, they have sealed borders and banned public gatherings to contain the outbreak.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/doctor-who-made-contagion-look-real-now-has-coronavirus-if-it-can-hit-me-it-can-hit-anybody-288593">Also read:&nbsp;Doctor who made 'Contagion' look real now has coronavirus: If it can hit me, it can hit anybody</a>

Music has no boundaries and there are ample examples of this that we can see in today's time. Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine recently wrote a new track on coronavirus pandemic and this is something that you have to hear.

Music has no boundaries and there are ample examples of this that we can see in today's time. Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine recently wrote a new track on coronavirus pandemic and this is something that you have to hear. The singer shared a video on his Twitter account, ''Since morning we have received numerous requests for written authorization to play this song on TVs & Radio stations. Please go ahead and use it! It's not ours anymore but for the world. We're only trying to add our voice to the many ongoing efforts against #COVID19. Full video..'' Since morning we have received numerous requests for written authorization to play this song on TVs & Radio stations. Please go ahead and use it! It's not ours anymore but for the world. We're only trying to add our voice to the many ongoing efforts against #COVID19. Full video.. pic.twitter.com/6ea3shezSs — BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) March 25, 2020 × The singer is also known as Robert Kyagulanyi and with fellow artist Nubian Li tune he has come together to teach people about the importance of personal hygiene throught East Africa's signature rhumba melodies. In the song, he is talking about the deadly virus, "The bad news is that everyone is a potential victim," Kyagulanyi says in the lyrics. "But the good news is that everyone is a potential solution." and also urge people to regularly wash hands, keep a distance and look out for symptoms like fever and cough. Uganda has confirmed 14 cases of COVID-19 so far, and as a precautions, they have sealed borders and banned public gatherings to contain the outbreak. Also read: Doctor who made 'Contagion' look real now has coronavirus: If it can hit me, it can hit anybody

Watch: Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine's new viral song on coronavirus pandemic

The world is not just battling the coronavirus, the H1N1 or the bird flu but also a growing menace of locusts.&nbsp;

Locusts are now threatening the food security of around 25 million people.

Some countries have sent armies to combat this monster while others have deployed ducks.&nbsp;

Swarms of this pest have wreaked havoc worldwide. They have destroyed crops and pastures and have made the lives of farmers a living hell.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/now-pakistan-may-seek-chinas-help-to-fight-locust-attack-281536">Now, Pakistan may seek China's help to fight locust attack</a>

Locusts have also threatened food security and economic stability. Battling the plague are countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea, Djibouti, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Pakistan and China.&nbsp;

The grasshoppers have invaded these countries, decimated their crops. Locust swarms can devour food for as many as 35,000 people in a single&nbsp; 
day. 
&nbsp; 
Some of these swarms are the size of a city.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uganda-deploys-army-pakistan-imports-insecticides-from-india-as-countries-brace-for-locust-attacks-281432">Uganda deploys army, Pakistan imports insecticides from India as countries brace for locust attacks</a>

Experts at the United Nations say that the number of locusts in east Africa could expand 500 times by June.&nbsp;

The winged menace could soon spread to other countries. And if that happens, it will happen fast. Locusts can travel up to 150 kilometres a day.&nbsp;

How are countries dealing with this menace?&nbsp;

Uganda has waged a war against the winged devils. They have deployed the military. Uniformed men are spraying pesticides to save the remaining crops. China has sent out an army of ducks. At least 100,000 ducks have been deployed in China's Xinjiang border. Their task is to seek, destroy and eat the flying locusts.&nbsp;

India too is taking preventive steps.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-consider-importing-insecticides-from-india-to-fight-locusts-281375">Pakistan to consider importing insecticides from India to fight locusts</a>

New Delhi is buying drones and other equipment to monitor the movement of the grasshoppers. The idea is to spot and neutralise the enemy before they crossover from Pakistan.&nbsp;

Experts are of the opinion that changing weather patterns have triggered this locust crisis which is only expected to get worse.&nbsp;

The world is not just battling the coronavirus, the H1N1 or the bird flu but also a growing menace of locusts. Locusts are now threatening the food security of around 25 million people.

The world is not just battling the coronavirus, the H1N1 or the bird flu but also a growing menace of locusts. Locusts are now threatening the food security of around 25 million people. Some countries have sent armies to combat this monster while others have deployed ducks. Swarms of this pest have wreaked havoc worldwide. They have destroyed crops and pastures and have made the lives of farmers a living hell. Also read: Now, Pakistan may seek China's help to fight locust attack Locusts have also threatened food security and economic stability. Battling the plague are countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea, Djibouti, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Pakistan and China. The grasshoppers have invaded these countries, decimated their crops. Locust swarms can devour food for as many as 35,000 people in a single day. Some of these swarms are the size of a city. Also read: Uganda deploys army, Pakistan imports insecticides from India as countries brace for locust attacks Experts at the United Nations say that the number of locusts in east Africa could expand 500 times by June. The winged menace could soon spread to other countries. And if that happens, it will happen fast. Locusts can travel up to 150 kilometres a day. How are countries dealing with this menace? Uganda has waged a war against the winged devils. They have deployed the military. Uniformed men are spraying pesticides to save the remaining crops. China has sent out an army of ducks. At least 100,000 ducks have been deployed in China's Xinjiang border. Their task is to seek, destroy and eat the flying locusts. India too is taking preventive steps. Also read: Pakistan to consider importing insecticides from India to fight locusts New Delhi is buying drones and other equipment to monitor the movement of the grasshoppers. The idea is to spot and neutralise the enemy before they crossover from Pakistan. Experts are of the opinion that changing weather patterns have triggered this locust crisis which is only expected to get worse.

The locust crisis: How are nations tackling the growing menace? 

Fighting locusts is the biggest problem emerging in the horn of Africa. The swelling numbers of locusts have threatened a food emergency in some of the African countries. But, the danger extends beyond Africa as several reports suggest that west and southwest Asia could be the next target.

The reports also say that even India and<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-to-consider-importing-insecticides-from-india-to-fight-locusts-281375"> Pakistan will not be spared from the growing threat of locust</a>s.

As locusts from Africa are headed to Pakistan and as the millions of inch-long pests are on their way to wage war on Pakistani crops, Islamabad has sought to import chemicals from India to fight them.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-desert-locust-swarms-in-ethiopia-kenya-and-somalia-threaten-to-ravage-east-africa-275577">In pics: Desert Locust swarms in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia threaten to ravage East Africa</a>

Earlier this month, Pakistan also declared a national emergency over locusts after it destroyed the country's maize, cotton, wheat and other crops.

Some 40 to 80 million locusts are capable of wiping out food for 35,000 people.

Meanwhile, the Africa continent is also suffering from its worst locust outbreak in decades. These migratory pests have devastated large tracts of croplands in the north and central Africa.

What started with Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, it has now spread to Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan; and as per reports, a food emergency looms over these countries.

Uganda's Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda recently held an emergency meeting&nbsp;in which the leaders discussed a strategy to tackle the desert locusts.&nbsp;

Ugandan officials are planning to deploy 2,000 soldiers and send supply equipment to tackle the invasion by desert locusts.

The state will also provide manual and motorised spray pumps to fight the locusts. The government is also considering aerial spraying of the locusts.

Earlier, the United Nations had also sounded a food alarm.

By June, the locust population is set to grow 500 times spreading to West Asia as well. The locust population is presently breeding in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It further expected to spread to Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea.

In southwest Asia, southern coast in Iran is the breeding ground.

Croplands in Pakistan's Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan will be the worst affected while, the bordering Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan could also face the brunt. 
&nbsp; 
Many Asian and African countries have begun to prepare in advance.

The U.N. estimates that a locust control plan will cost an estimated 76 million dollars; what is available so far is just 20 million dollars.

A disaster is waiting to happen if nothing is done by next month.

Fighting locusts is the biggest problem emerging in the horn of Africa. The swelling numbers of locusts have threatened a food emergency in some of the African countries.

Fighting locusts is the biggest problem emerging in the horn of Africa. The swelling numbers of locusts have threatened a food emergency in some of the African countries. But, the danger extends beyond Africa as several reports suggest that west and southwest Asia could be the next target. The reports also say that even India and Pakistan will not be spared from the growing threat of locusts. As locusts from Africa are headed to Pakistan and as the millions of inch-long pests are on their way to wage war on Pakistani crops, Islamabad has sought to import chemicals from India to fight them. In pics: Desert Locust swarms in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia threaten to ravage East Africa Earlier this month, Pakistan also declared a national emergency over locusts after it destroyed the country's maize, cotton, wheat and other crops. Some 40 to 80 million locusts are capable of wiping out food for 35,000 people. Meanwhile, the Africa continent is also suffering from its worst locust outbreak in decades. These migratory pests have devastated large tracts of croplands in the north and central Africa. What started with Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, it has now spread to Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan; and as per reports, a food emergency looms over these countries. Uganda's Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda recently held an emergency meeting in which the leaders discussed a strategy to tackle the desert locusts. Ugandan officials are planning to deploy 2,000 soldiers and send supply equipment to tackle the invasion by desert locusts. The state will also provide manual and motorised spray pumps to fight the locusts. The government is also considering aerial spraying of the locusts. Earlier, the United Nations had also sounded a food alarm. By June, the locust population is set to grow 500 times spreading to West Asia as well. The locust population is presently breeding in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It further expected to spread to Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea. In southwest Asia, southern coast in Iran is the breeding ground. Croplands in Pakistan's Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan will be the worst affected while, the bordering Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan could also face the brunt. Many Asian and African countries have begun to prepare in advance. The U.N. estimates that a locust control plan will cost an estimated 76 million dollars; what is available so far is just 20 million dollars. A disaster is waiting to happen if nothing is done by next month.

Uganda deploys army, Pakistan imports insecticides from India as countries brace for locust attacks

Pakistan is likely to import insecticides from&nbsp;India to brace itself for any <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">locust attacks</a> this summer, bypassing a ban on trade between the neighbouring nations.

A copy of Cabinet agenda for a Tuesday meeting seen by Reuters has the import option on it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">Pakistan </a>severed all diplomatic and trade ties with New Delhi in August after India revoked the special status of Kashmir, a disputed territory between the two rivals, who have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">Pakistan PM Imran Khan declares national emergency to fight locusts</a>

"Yes definitely, there is a fear of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">locust attack</a> in June- July, this is the reason we are planning and preparing in advance," Dr Falak Naz, Director General Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, told Reuters.

China, currently battling the coronavirus outbreak, is the other place from where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">Pakistan </a>can import the insecticides.

Pakistan declared a national emergency over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">locust</a> swarms early this month after the food ministry gave a briefing to parliament, warning that the country was facing the worst locust infestation in two decades.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-spray-planes-can-counter-worst-locust-outbreak-in-eastern-africa-united-nations-278328">Spray planes can counter worst locust outbreak in eastern Africa: United Nations</a>

Desert locusts, large herbivores which resemble grasshoppers, are said to have arrived in Pakistan from Iran, and have already damaged maze, cotton, wheat and other crops.

Khusro Bakhtiar, the national food security minister, said in the briefing that the locust swarm was currently on the Pakistan-India border.

"Action has been taken against the insect over 0.3 million acres&nbsp;and aerial spray was done on 20,000 hectares," he said.

Swarms of desert <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-declares-national-emergency-to-fight-locusts-278140">locusts </a>have invaded eastern Africa, ravaging crops, decimating pasture and deepening a hunger crisis. United Nations says hundreds of millions of the insects have swept over the Horn of Africa in the worst outbreak in a quarter of a century.

Pakistan is likely to import insecticides from India to brace itself for any locust attacks this summer, bypassing a ban on trade between the neighbouring nations.

Pakistan is likely to import insecticides from India to brace itself for any locust attacks this summer, bypassing a ban on trade between the neighbouring nations. A copy of Cabinet agenda for a Tuesday meeting seen by Reuters has the import option on it. Pakistan severed all diplomatic and trade ties with New Delhi in August after India revoked the special status of Kashmir, a disputed territory between the two rivals, who have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region. Also read: Pakistan PM Imran Khan declares national emergency to fight locusts "Yes definitely, there is a fear of locust attack in June- July, this is the reason we are planning and preparing in advance," Dr Falak Naz, Director General Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, told Reuters. China, currently battling the coronavirus outbreak, is the other place from where Pakistan can import the insecticides. Pakistan declared a national emergency over locust swarms early this month after the food ministry gave a briefing to parliament, warning that the country was facing the worst locust infestation in two decades. Also read: Spray planes can counter worst locust outbreak in eastern Africa: United Nations Desert locusts, large herbivores which resemble grasshoppers, are said to have arrived in Pakistan from Iran, and have already damaged maze, cotton, wheat and other crops. Khusro Bakhtiar, the national food security minister, said in the briefing that the locust swarm was currently on the Pakistan-India border. "Action has been taken against the insect over 0.3 million acres and aerial spray was done on 20,000 hectares," he said. Swarms of desert locusts have invaded eastern Africa, ravaging crops, decimating pasture and deepening a hunger crisis. United Nations says hundreds of millions of the insects have swept over the Horn of Africa in the worst outbreak in a quarter of a century.

Pakistan to consider importing insecticides from India to fight locusts

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-sudan-rebel-leader-jets-back-home-for-peace-talks-257082">rebel chief Riek Machar</a> on Thursday were given another 100 days to form a power-sharing government after failing to resolve differences, a fresh delay that prompted a sharp US warning that the fledgling nation needed new leaders.

The two rivals, whose fallout in 2013 sparked a conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead, were granted the extension after a rare face-to-face meeting held with regional heavyweights in Uganda.

It is the second time the deadline has been pushed back since the rivals signed a truce last September that brought a pause to fighting.

Both sides had agreed to join forces in a coalition government by November 12. But with the date looming and key issues far from resolved, regional leaders brokered high-level mediations in Entebbe to chart a way forward.

"It was really impossible to have them reach agreement in five days. We've given them three months and we will continue our engagement," Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa told AFP following the closed-door discussions at State House in Entebbe.

The meeting "agreed to extend the pre-transitional period... and to review progress after fifty days from that date", Kutesa said afterwards, reading from an official communique.

The United States, a major backer of the impoverished nation, voiced exasperation with the delay and said it would "review our relationship" with South Sudan's government.

"This inability to meet their own deadline calls into question their suitability to continue to lead the nation's peace process," Tibor Nagy, the top US diplomat of Africa, said of Kiir and Machar.

"The US is considering all possible options to put pressure on those individuals who would impede peace and promote conflict," he wrote on Twitter.

The United States has previously threatened targeted sanctions without a prompt government formation, although an official earlier ruled out ending Washington's roughly $1 billion in humanitarian assistance.

Nagy nonetheless voiced appreciation to the African mediators who included Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni; General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who heads neighbouring Sudan's sovereign council; and Kalonzo Musyoka, a special envoy from Kenya.

Despite US frustration at the slow progress, some observers warned that pushing the foes to form a unity government before disagreements over security and state boundaries were resolved threatened to plunge the country back into war.

The peace deal has largely stopped the fighting that erupted just two years after South Sudan achieved independence, violence that left nearly 400,000 dead and displaced close to four million people.

"Another extension is far preferable than a return to conflict," said Alan Boswell, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank.

"Regional mediators must step up at the highest levels to finally resolve the sticking points blocking the peace process from moving forward."

Machar, who lives in exile in Khartoum and cannot travel freely in the region, had asked for more time so that the impasse over security and territory arrangements could be overcome.

The rebel leader warned that if these were not addressed, the country would see a repeat of fighting in 2016, when an earlier peace deal collapsed, worsening the conflict.

Machar, a former deputy to Kiir, fled South Sudan on foot under a hail of gunfire and has only returned home on rare occasions, fearing for his safety.

Kiir had said he was ready to form a new government and had threatened to do it alone.

The creation of the coalition government, a key pillar of the September 2018 peace deal between the rivals, had already been delayed once in May when regional leaders brokered a six-month extension.

The United Nations Security Council, on the eve of the Entebbe meeting, declared that fully implementing "all provisions of the peace agreement remains the only path that will set the country towards the goal of peace, stability and development".

A cornerstone of the accord was that fighters from all sides would be gathered into military camps and trained as a unified army,&nbsp;a process dogged by delays and lack of funding.

Little progress has been made on negotiations around state boundaries,&nbsp;another major sticking point.

The European Union, in a statement Thursday before the extension was announced, urged the warring parties to demonstrate "genuine will to build peace" and set realistic deadlines for resolving outstanding issues.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar on Thursday were given another 100 days to form a power-sharing government after failing to resolve differences, a fresh delay that prompted a sharp US warning that the fledgling nation needed new leaders.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar on Thursday were given another 100 days to form a power-sharing government after failing to resolve differences, a fresh delay that prompted a sharp US warning that the fledgling nation needed new leaders. The two rivals, whose fallout in 2013 sparked a conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead, were granted the extension after a rare face-to-face meeting held with regional heavyweights in Uganda. It is the second time the deadline has been pushed back since the rivals signed a truce last September that brought a pause to fighting. Both sides had agreed to join forces in a coalition government by November 12. But with the date looming and key issues far from resolved, regional leaders brokered high-level mediations in Entebbe to chart a way forward. "It was really impossible to have them reach agreement in five days. We've given them three months and we will continue our engagement," Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa told AFP following the closed-door discussions at State House in Entebbe. The meeting "agreed to extend the pre-transitional period... and to review progress after fifty days from that date", Kutesa said afterwards, reading from an official communique. The United States, a major backer of the impoverished nation, voiced exasperation with the delay and said it would "review our relationship" with South Sudan's government. "This inability to meet their own deadline calls into question their suitability to continue to lead the nation's peace process," Tibor Nagy, the top US diplomat of Africa, said of Kiir and Machar. "The US is considering all possible options to put pressure on those individuals who would impede peace and promote conflict," he wrote on Twitter. The United States has previously threatened targeted sanctions without a prompt government formation, although an official earlier ruled out ending Washington's roughly $1 billion in humanitarian assistance. Nagy nonetheless voiced appreciation to the African mediators who included Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni; General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who heads neighbouring Sudan's sovereign council; and Kalonzo Musyoka, a special envoy from Kenya. Despite US frustration at the slow progress, some observers warned that pushing the foes to form a unity government before disagreements over security and state boundaries were resolved threatened to plunge the country back into war. The peace deal has largely stopped the fighting that erupted just two years after South Sudan achieved independence, violence that left nearly 400,000 dead and displaced close to four million people. "Another extension is far preferable than a return to conflict," said Alan Boswell, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank. "Regional mediators must step up at the highest levels to finally resolve the sticking points blocking the peace process from moving forward." Machar, who lives in exile in Khartoum and cannot travel freely in the region, had asked for more time so that the impasse over security and territory arrangements could be overcome. The rebel leader warned that if these were not addressed, the country would see a repeat of fighting in 2016, when an earlier peace deal collapsed, worsening the conflict. Machar, a former deputy to Kiir, fled South Sudan on foot under a hail of gunfire and has only returned home on rare occasions, fearing for his safety. Kiir had said he was ready to form a new government and had threatened to do it alone. The creation of the coalition government, a key pillar of the September 2018 peace deal between the rivals, had already been delayed once in May when regional leaders brokered a six-month extension. The United Nations Security Council, on the eve of the Entebbe meeting, declared that fully implementing "all provisions of the peace agreement remains the only path that will set the country towards the goal of peace, stability and development". A cornerstone of the accord was that fighters from all sides would be gathered into military camps and trained as a unified army, a process dogged by delays and lack of funding. Little progress has been made on negotiations around state boundaries, another major sticking point. The European Union, in a statement Thursday before the extension was announced, urged the warring parties to demonstrate "genuine will to build peace" and set realistic deadlines for resolving outstanding issues.

South Sudan rival leaders given 100 days to form unity government

U.N. peacekeepers should progressively withdraw from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-shipment-of-new-ebola-vaccine-arrives-in-dr-congo-259539">DR&nbsp;Congo</a>&nbsp;by the end of 2022 at the earliest, a strategic review said Wednesday, in the first tentative timeline to exit a country grappling with militia violence and Ebola.

The report comes as 10 civilians were killed in an attack in the eastern&nbsp;Democratic Republic of&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;blamed on an Islamist-rooted armed group based in Uganda, as the army launches a sweeping offensive against militancy that has plagued the troubled region for nearly a quarter of a century.

The United Nations's MONUSCO mission to the country,&nbsp;one of its biggest deployments encompassing some 16,000 peacekeepers,&nbsp;began two decades ago and has an annual budget of over $1 billion.&nbsp;

Its latest mandate comes to an end on December 31 and the decision to renew is made the&nbsp;U.N. Security Council.&nbsp;

A review for the Council said that the "timeline for an exit of MONUSCO should be an absolute minimum of three years", in an assessment of the&nbsp;U.N. presence in the country in the wake of the election of new President Felix Tshisekedi.

"With a departure at the end of 2022, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-chief-urges-myanmar-to-ensure-safe-return-of-rohingya-259659">U.N.</a> would be in a better position to ensure a responsible transition, if the reforms announced by the new authorities remain on track and the conditions for the best-case scenario materialise," the report said.&nbsp;

It noted, however, that there should be "red lines" that would cause the withdrawal to be paused and suggested a political mission to help "prevent a resurgence of conflict".&nbsp;

During a visit to eastern Beni in September,&nbsp;U.N. chief Antonio Guterres stressed his support for extending MONUSCO's mandate beyond the year-end and said a strategic review would help make the mission "more useful still to the Congolese people" in terms of security but also politically.

"We will do everything to bring an end to the scourge of insecurity," he said.

The&nbsp;DR&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;army announced last week that it had launched "large-scale operations" against armed militias in the country's troubled east.

In the most recent violence, members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) crossed the border from Uganda late on Tuesday and "killed 10 civilians, some with knives and others with firearms," in the locality of Kokola, Donat Kibwana, a local administrator in the restive Beni region, told AFP.

An army spokesman in the region, Major Mak Hazukay, said the ADF were "cornered" by army fire.

"That's why they try to cause terror among the population," he told AFP, declining to give a casualty toll for Tuesday's attack.

The impoverished central African country has been wracked by conflict near its eastern border, with many of the militias have evolved from the two&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;wars (1996-1997 and 1998-2003).

The Islamist-rooted ADF, which arose in western Uganda in 1995, has targeted Beni, killing hundreds of civilians over the last five years.

But there are also home-grown militia and other armed groups,&nbsp;some 130 roam the North and South Kivu provinces of&nbsp;DR&nbsp;Congo, a vast country the size of western continental Europe.

Five Great Lakes countries,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Democratic Republic of&nbsp;Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda,&nbsp;decided last month to combine their military operations in the region.

The&nbsp;U.N.'s peacekeeping mission in&nbsp;DR&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;has supported DRC troops in the region, but has ruled out backing any foreign intervention.

The Beni region, in the North Kivu province which borders Uganda and Rwanda, has been particularly affected by militia violence.

Beni is also stricken by the country's Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 2,000 people in a year,&nbsp;two-thirds of those infected.&nbsp;

U.N. peacekeepers should progressively withdraw from DR Congo by the end of 2022 at the earliest, a strategic review said Wednesday, in the first tentative timeline to exit a country grappling with militia violence and Ebola.

U.N. peacekeepers should progressively withdraw from DR Congo by the end of 2022 at the earliest, a strategic review said Wednesday, in the first tentative timeline to exit a country grappling with militia violence and Ebola. The report comes as 10 civilians were killed in an attack in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo blamed on an Islamist-rooted armed group based in Uganda, as the army launches a sweeping offensive against militancy that has plagued the troubled region for nearly a quarter of a century. The United Nations's MONUSCO mission to the country, one of its biggest deployments encompassing some 16,000 peacekeepers, began two decades ago and has an annual budget of over $1 billion. Its latest mandate comes to an end on December 31 and the decision to renew is made the U.N. Security Council. A review for the Council said that the "timeline for an exit of MONUSCO should be an absolute minimum of three years", in an assessment of the U.N. presence in the country in the wake of the election of new President Felix Tshisekedi. "With a departure at the end of 2022, the U.N. would be in a better position to ensure a responsible transition, if the reforms announced by the new authorities remain on track and the conditions for the best-case scenario materialise," the report said. It noted, however, that there should be "red lines" that would cause the withdrawal to be paused and suggested a political mission to help "prevent a resurgence of conflict". During a visit to eastern Beni in September, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres stressed his support for extending MONUSCO's mandate beyond the year-end and said a strategic review would help make the mission "more useful still to the Congolese people" in terms of security but also politically. "We will do everything to bring an end to the scourge of insecurity," he said. The DR Congo army announced last week that it had launched "large-scale operations" against armed militias in the country's troubled east. In the most recent violence, members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) crossed the border from Uganda late on Tuesday and "killed 10 civilians, some with knives and others with firearms," in the locality of Kokola, Donat Kibwana, a local administrator in the restive Beni region, told AFP. An army spokesman in the region, Major Mak Hazukay, said the ADF were "cornered" by army fire. "That's why they try to cause terror among the population," he told AFP, declining to give a casualty toll for Tuesday's attack. The impoverished central African country has been wracked by conflict near its eastern border, with many of the militias have evolved from the two Congo wars (1996-1997 and 1998-2003). The Islamist-rooted ADF, which arose in western Uganda in 1995, has targeted Beni, killing hundreds of civilians over the last five years. But there are also home-grown militia and other armed groups, some 130 roam the North and South Kivu provinces of DR Congo, a vast country the size of western continental Europe. Five Great Lakes countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, decided last month to combine their military operations in the region. The U.N.'s peacekeeping mission in DR Congo has supported DRC troops in the region, but has ruled out backing any foreign intervention. The Beni region, in the North Kivu province which borders Uganda and Rwanda, has been particularly affected by militia violence. Beni is also stricken by the country's Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 2,000 people in a year, two-thirds of those infected.

U.N. mulls slow DR Congo drawdown despite ongoing bloodshed

The presidents of Rwanda and Uganda on Wednesday signed an agreement in Angola to end months of tensions after the two leaders exchanged accusations of spying, political assassinations and meddling.

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni were once close allies but their relations have turned deeply hostile in a dispute that damaged trade between the east African neighbours.&nbsp;

The signing in the Angolan capital Luanda, was witnessed by the presidents of Angola Joao Lourenco, Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and Congo's Denis Sassou Nguesso.

After the signing, Kagame said he did not anticipate any problems in working "more specifically with President Museveni to address what we have agreed to address".

The Angolan leader Lourenco hailed the agreement saying it illustrated the two presidents' "willingness to overcome conflict".

Trade has been severely disrupted since late February when Rwanda abruptly closed the border with its northern neighbour, severing a major economic land route.

In May, Ugandan police accused Rwandan soldiers of entering the country and killing two men, drawing an angry denial from Rwanda.

If not resolved, the row between the two strongmen risks dragging in their neighbours, threatening economic integration and regional stability in an already conflict-prone swathe of the continent.

The standoff escalated dramatically in March when Rwanda publicly accused Uganda of abducting its citizens and supporting rebels bent on overthrowing the government.

Museveni -&nbsp;who has admitted meeting, but not endorsing, anti-Kagame rebels -&nbsp;harbours his own suspicions about his erstwhile ally. His officials have accused Rwandans in Uganda of spying, and some have been detained or deported.

The presidents of Rwanda and Uganda on Wednesday signed an agreement in Angola to end months of tensions after the two leaders exchanged accusations of spying, political assassinations and meddling.

The presidents of Rwanda and Uganda on Wednesday signed an agreement in Angola to end months of tensions after the two leaders exchanged accusations of spying, political assassinations and meddling. Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni were once close allies but their relations have turned deeply hostile in a dispute that damaged trade between the east African neighbours. The signing in the Angolan capital Luanda, was witnessed by the presidents of Angola Joao Lourenco, Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and Congo's Denis Sassou Nguesso. After the signing, Kagame said he did not anticipate any problems in working "more specifically with President Museveni to address what we have agreed to address". The Angolan leader Lourenco hailed the agreement saying it illustrated the two presidents' "willingness to overcome conflict". Trade has been severely disrupted since late February when Rwanda abruptly closed the border with its northern neighbour, severing a major economic land route. In May, Ugandan police accused Rwandan soldiers of entering the country and killing two men, drawing an angry denial from Rwanda. If not resolved, the row between the two strongmen risks dragging in their neighbours, threatening economic integration and regional stability in an already conflict-prone swathe of the continent. The standoff escalated dramatically in March when Rwanda publicly accused Uganda of abducting its citizens and supporting rebels bent on overthrowing the government. Museveni - who has admitted meeting, but not endorsing, anti-Kagame rebels - harbours his own suspicions about his erstwhile ally. His officials have accused Rwandans in Uganda of spying, and some have been detained or deported.

Uganda, Rwanda leaders sign pact in bid to end standoff

Nineteen people died when a fuel truck barrelled into other vehicles in a busy town in western Uganda and exploded, police said Monday.

The blast occurred Sunday evening in the Kyambura trading centre, a mountainous area near the Queen Elizabeth National Park.

"Ten people died instantly when the fuel truck lost control and hit three other vehicles, leading to multiple explosions that also burned 25 small shops," said regional police spokesman Martial Tumusiime.

"Of the people that were rushed to the hospital, nine of them have also died as a result of wounds," he added.&nbsp;

In 2002, 70 people were killed when an oil truck rammed into a bus in Rutoto, less than 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Kyambura.

And in 2013, 33 people died in an explosion after a fuel truck overturned many having rushed to the scene to siphon fuel.

The accident <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organisation-reports-new-ebola-incident-in-uganda-amid-fears-of-virus-spreading-236699">in Uganda</a> came eight days after a fuel truck exploded in Tanzania.&nbsp;

The fireball engulfed a crowd thronging to collect petrol from the wrecked vehicle, leaving 95 dead.

Nineteen people died when a fuel truck barrelled into other vehicles in a busy town in western Uganda and exploded, police said Monday. The blast occurred Sunday evening in the Kyambura trading centre, a mountainous area near the Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Nineteen people died when a fuel truck barrelled into other vehicles in a busy town in western Uganda and exploded, police said Monday. The blast occurred Sunday evening in the Kyambura trading centre, a mountainous area near the Queen Elizabeth National Park. "Ten people died instantly when the fuel truck lost control and hit three other vehicles, leading to multiple explosions that also burned 25 small shops," said regional police spokesman Martial Tumusiime. "Of the people that were rushed to the hospital, nine of them have also died as a result of wounds," he added. In 2002, 70 people were killed when an oil truck rammed into a bus in Rutoto, less than 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Kyambura. And in 2013, 33 people died in an explosion after a fuel truck overturned many having rushed to the scene to siphon fuel. The accident in Uganda came eight days after a fuel truck exploded in Tanzania. The fireball engulfed a crowd thronging to collect petrol from the wrecked vehicle, leaving 95 dead.

At least 19 killed in Uganda fuel truck blast: Police

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