“Immediately Stop Your Evil Acts” Museveni Warns Babu Owino For Supporting Anti NRM Groups

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has publicly accused Kenyan Member of Parliament Babu Owino of collaborating with opposition groups intent on dismantling the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and government.

The accusation was made in the presence of three other East African presidents: William Ruto of Kenya, Salva Kiir of South Sudan, and Samia Suluhu of Tanzania. The four leaders were gathered in Kenya to endorse veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson position.

Babu Owino, a member of Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and a key figure in the Azimio La Umoja coalition, has been singled out by Museveni as a key player in anti-NRM activities. The Ugandan president, who has been in power for nearly four decades, claimed that intelligence reports have consistently implicated Babu Owino in dealings with groups opposed to the NRM.

Museveni’s remarks suggest that he believes Babu Owino and others like him within the Kenyan opposition are unaware of the implications of their actions. The Ugandan leader has previously accused foreign agents of interfering in Ugandan politics, with the latest accusation targeting organizers of the country’s Gen Z protests.

The accusation against Babu Owino marks a significant escalation in Museveni’s rhetoric against perceived opponents, both within Uganda and beyond its borders. As the region navigates complex political dynamics, Museveni’s comments have sparked concerns about the potential for increased tensions between Uganda and its neighbors.

The endorsement of Raila Odinga’s AUC chairperson bid by the four presidents was seen as a significant moment of regional unity, but Museveni’s accusation against Babu Owino has cast a shadow over the event. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how this will impact relations between Uganda and Kenya, as well as the broader East African region.